Eyes on Fire
by Bindy417
Summary: AU. Felicity Smoak never wanted to be a member of the cyber-terrorist group Brother Eye. For five years she's been searching for a way out with no success. When Felicity hears rumors of The Arrow, the dark and dangerous Starling City vigilante, she knows she's finally found her salvation. Determined, Felicity seeks out The Arrow. What she discovers is a world beyond anything
1. Chapter 1

**Eyes on Fire**

By Bindy417

 **Summary:** AU. Felicity Smoak never wanted to be a member of the cyber-terrorist group Brother Eye. For five years she's been searching for a way out with no success. When Felicity hears rumors of The Arrow, the dark and dangerous Starling City vigilante, she knows she's finally found her salvation. Determined, Felicity seeks out The Arrow. What she discovers is a world beyond anything she could've imagined and a hero who may just need saving of his own.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own _Arrow_ or any of its characters. They belong to The CW and DC Comics.

 **A/N: Hey guys, so I'm super excited to be posting my first Olicity fic. Whether you've read any of my prior** _ **One Tree Hill**_ **fics or are a new reader, I hope you'll enjoy this story. I'll be posting a new chapter every Thursday. Feel free to follow me on twitter (Bindy_417) for updates or just to say hi. I'll also be tweeting a dialogue tease of the upcoming chapter every Tuesday. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

The phone on the desk beeped for the fifth time in the last hour. Felicity Smoak sighed softly as she continued to type. It was clearly impossible for her to get any time to herself. She was almost done coding anyway. With a final click of the mouse, she exited the program and pushed away from the desk.

"Did it work? Is it finished?" asked the short, middle-aged man who'd been pacing nearby.

"Someone did try to access the system, but I beefed up the firewall and added some stronger security measures. You should be all set."

"It's these damn hackers these days. They're everywhere," he huffed.

"Yes, they are," Felicity replied as her phone vibrated once more. If only Mr. Grant knew the irony of his words.

"You're a miracle worker, Miss Smoak. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You're welcome, Mr. Grant."

Jerry Grant owned a graphic design company. It was small but had some pretty high-profile clients. Every other week he would call Felicity claiming that someone was trying to break into his system to steal information. He was a little too paranoid, but today he'd been right. Someone had tried to hack him. Lucky for Mr. Grant, Felicity knew exactly how to deal with the situation.

Felicity shook his hand and visited his assistant on her way out to receive her payment.

Janine had just handed over the check when her phone rang. "Grant Designs, how may I help you?" she answered.

Felicity gave her a small wave, sure she'd see her again soon, and was about to leave when Janine halted her. "Um, Miss Smoak, I have someone on the phone for you."

"For me?" she questioned, perplexed. Felicity took the phone from Janine. "Hello?"

" _I've been calling and texting you. Why haven't you answered me?_ " demanded the harsh and annoyed male voice.

Aware that Janine was watching her, Felicity made sure to keep a smile on her face. It was difficult considering how furious she was. It was so like Cooper to ping the GPS on her phone and track her down when she didn't answer right away. "I must not have gotten it. My battery is about to die."

"Don't give me that. I told you we were having a meeting today to go over our plans. You completely blew it off."

"And I told you I was working this morning. Remember?"

"That is not your work. I don't even know why you bother being an IT consultant. It's a stupid waste of time. You have ten minutes before I send someone to come get you. And trust me, you don't want that," Cooper warned.

"I'm on my way over now," she said, but he'd already hung up. Felicity handed the phone back to Janine.

"Boyfriend trouble?" She gave Felicity a sympathetic smile.

The blonde couldn't help but sigh, pushing her slipping black-framed glasses back up her nose . If only it were that simple. "Something like that."

* * *

Felicity let herself into the apartment and walked down the hall into the living room. It was a large, open space with an industrial-type style. The gray concrete walls were bare while the dark gray linoleum floor was littered with takeout cartons near the couch and kitchen areas. A foosball table was tucked into a corner on the right. The only clue that the owner possessed any real money lay with the high-tech computer equipment scattered across the long kitchen countertop and the big screen TV and gaming station in the sitting area. It was a typical bachelor pad to the untrained eye-cold, empty, and dark. Felicity truly loathed it.

"Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," Myron announced as he fiddled with the controller in his hand. He and Cooper appeared to be in an epic Zork battle. At one point, Felicity probably would've eagerly challenged the winner to the next game. Now she could barely stand the sight of them.

She placed her purse on the kitchen counter, where Chase and Drake were sitting in front of the computers. They wore headphones and had that dazed, bloodshot look in their eyes. They must've been plugged in for at least a few hours now.

Cooper shouted in victory as Myron sulked next to him. "Nice try, but I told you I'm unstoppable." The arrogance was plain on his face. When she'd first met Cooper her junior year of college at MIT, Felicity thought he was one of the cutest guys she'd ever seen. Cooper definitely had that cool geek vibe going with his medium height and lanky build. He also had one of those faces that claimed innocence but belied an intellectual wit that proved otherwise.

Felicity had fallen head over heels in love with him. They used to talk for hours about their love of computers and gaming. Cooper frequently declared that he wanted to make a real difference in the world. For a girl like Felicity, who was raised by a single mother near a strip mall in Vegas and felt doomed to repeat the same mistakes, it was like a breath of fresh air. A few months after they'd started dating, Cooper told her about a hacktivist group he and his roommate Myron had joined. They would break into government systems to expose corruption or digitally deface criminals. It was civil disobedience via the worldwide web. Most importantly, it was a chance to be a hero.

Felicity followed in Cooper's footsteps and joined the group. Everyone had their own special skills, but Felicity proved to have the magic touch. When a system was particularly difficult, it was Felicity who they trusted to take it down. It was during her senior year of college that Felicity developed the super virus. She'd been experimenting and never actually planned on using it. It could crack almost any infected system and wreak havoc, allowing any decent hacker to gain access and change whatever was wanted. Felicity had shown it to Cooper, who couldn't have been more impressed.

It wasn't long after that Cooper started becoming more bold in his hacking activities. Instead of focusing on criminals and corruption, he started targeting big corporations. He told Felicity that the money these corporations made was a slap in the common man's face. That they hadn't truly earned it and deserved to be put in their place. One company had almost gone bankrupt and had to lay off workers just to stay afloat. When Felicity learned that Cooper was stealing money from them and using her virus to do it, she was horrified.

The hacktivist group had the same reaction to Cooper's less-than-honorable intentions, and he was asked to leave. He decided to start his own group, Brother Eye, after graduation and convinced Myron, Chase, and Drake to join him. Felicity, no longer recognizing the man she'd fallen in love with, refused to follow. Cooper, however, had other plans. As good as he and the guys were, Felicity was better. He knew he needed her if his new group was going to succeed. Because of this, Cooper refused to take no for an answer and threatened to tell the authorities that she was the one using the super virus to steal.

Felicity didn't want to believe that he could get away with it, but she knew otherwise. That virus was her creation. Because she'd never planned on using it, she hadn't been as careful in covering her tracks. If the authorities specifically knew where to look, they most definitely could trace its origin back to her. Cooper had her trapped. There was no other choice but to join his greedy, illegal crusade. Five years later and Felicity was still paying for the one innocent mistake she'd made.

"Felicity, are you going to join us or what?" Cooper snapped, pulling her out of her troubled thoughts. Chase and Drake were already sitting on the couch. "We haven't got all day."

Felicity took a seat on the recliner. It was the only single seat available, which she preferred.

"All right, down to business. Chase, where are we with the Kord Industries money?"

"As of five minutes ago, we are $6 million richer. It's already been transferred to the offshore bank account. I'm sure Ted Kord has gotten our little message already as a thank you."

After every heist, while the system was still vulnerable, one of the guys would take the opportunity to upload the signature Brother Eye message. It was a graphic of a fiery eye with a slit pupil. Cooper's transposed voice would then gloat about their victory. Essentially, it was their calling card. Felicity told Cooper that it would be better to just quietly take the money. Cooper, much to her annoyance, had a flair for the dramatic.

"Great. Myron, you know the drill. Divvy it up. The drinks will be on Chase tonight."

"I should be offended that my reward is paying for you losers, but I'm a millionaire once again. So what the hell."

"Now that we've got Kord Industries taken care of, we need to discuss our next target. I don't know about you guys but I've had enough of Central City already. It's time for a change of scenery."

"Wait, we're moving again?" Felicity interjected. Of all the places they'd lived over the years, Central City had been the best so far. The streets were clean, and the sun always shined. Felicity had even found a coffee house that she liked to frequent when she had a moment to herself.

"When you stay in one place, people start to take notice. We can't afford to put down roots, babe," Cooper reminded her. Looking to the guys he asked, "You've been doing research. What have you got for me?"

The guys suggested a few major banks, an oil company, and another industrial manufacturer. This was the opportunity she'd been waiting for. They started seriously discussing some tech company when Felicity interrupted. "What about Queen Consolidated? Its headquarters is located in Starling City. It's only a train ride away."

"No way," Myron was quick to object.

"Why not?" Felicity challenged. "The Queens are billionaires. They're not going to miss a few million."

"You're forgetting one thing. Starling City is protected by that crazy green vigilante. Have you seen the news reports of that guy? He doesn't back down," Myron argued. "And I for one don't want to end up with an arrow in my ass."

"That doesn't have anything to do with us. He targets the wealthy, too. Other than that, he takes on the occasional common criminal and drug lord. Cyber crime is not his thing," Felicity reasoned.

"I'm too handsome to have a scar," Chase added.

Drake raised his hand. "I'm with them."

"Wow, I never thought I'd actually see the day you guys would be afraid of some guy in green tights."

"It's leather," Drake corrected.

"Whatever," Felicity replied. She was fully aware that the vigilante didn't actually wear tights and didn't want to know why Drake had retained that particular detail either. No one had been able to get a clear shot of the vigilante yet, formally known as The Arrow, but according to reports he wore a form-fitting green leather suit with a hood and eye mask to cover his face. His weapon of choice was an old-school bow and arrow. Felicity thought it actually sounded kind of cool-not that she would tell the guys that. Pretending to know less than she did was crucial for this to work. "My point is that we could totally pull this off."

"QC did develop that earthquake machine that was used to destroy the Glades a few months back. Thousands of people were killed but because Oliver Queen claimed to know nothing about it, he got off scot free," said Cooper.

"He certainly needs to be taught a lesson," Felicity reinforced. Regardless of what the others thought, it was really Cooper who she'd have to convince.

He shook his head. "It's still risky, though."

Fortunately for her, Felicity knew exactly the right button to push. She walked over to her purse and pulled out the _Fast Company_ magazine she'd bought with Oliver Queen on the cover. The featured article inside was about how the prodigal son had returned to restore the family legacy that had been left in ruins. Felicity held it up for the others to see. "Coop, think about it. We would not only be stealing from one of the wealthiest men in the world, who already has blood on his hands, but it would be right in The Arrow's own city. Think of the notoriety Brother Eye would receive based on that alone." She could see the wheels in Cooper's mind turning.

"Even if we did decide to do this, there's no way we're moving to Starling. The last thing we need to worry about is a vigilante prying into our business."

"Fine. We stay a few days to scout it out and leave when the job is done." Felicity looked him square in the eye. No way was she backing down. It was too important.

"Cooper, you can't be seriously considering this," Myron cut in.

Cooper was glancing between her and the magazine. Finally, he proclaimed, "Pack your bags, boys, we leave for Starling City tomorrow."

Despite their grumbling, the guys knew the decision was made. While they went off to gather their stuff, Cooper pulled Felicity off to the side. "I'm assuming that you did all of the necessary research on QC, so that we can pull this off without a hitch."

"I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise."

"I only ask because you've seemed a lot more distracted lately. You're always off on another consulting job, helping these bullshit companies make their bottom line. It makes me wonder if you're still dedicated to our cause." His tone was casual, but Felicity knew all too well the underlying menace it masked. She had to tread very carefully.

"Not all companies are evil, Cooper. I help small businesses run by people who are just trying to support their families. I haven't shirked my Brother Eye responsibilities once."

"Except for our meeting today."

Felicity would hardly call sitting around with a bunch of guys in sweats a meeting, but she held her tongue. "That was a miscommunication."

Cooper ran a hand through his hair. He'd been wearing it gelled back these last few months in an attempt to look more sophisticated. Felicity thought it made him look like a drowned rat. "Still, I'm concerned."

"You once said we all have our parts to play. My consultant work is my cover. It makes me look like a contributing member of society. You can understand that, can't you?"

He watched her intently for a moment longer, tapping her chin with his hand. "I get it. And after we pull off this job in Starling, you'll have proven to me that you're still valuable after all these years." He leaned in close and whispered, "So don't screw this up."

Felicity nodded before watching him walk away. When he was finally out of sight, she released the breath she'd been holding. She'd tried her hardest not to show Cooper and the others how badly she wanted out of Brother Eye. It had taken a long time for this opportunity to come along. Her eyes traveled once more to the handsome billionaire on the magazine cover, looking pensive yet confident. Cooper wasn't usually right about much, but on this matter he was spot on. Felicity wouldn't screw this opportunity up. Her life depended on it.

* * *

The dirt bag could run, but he couldn't hide. Just minutes ago Oliver had caught him and his gang cornering a young girl in the alleyway. The other guys stayed to fight, foolishly thinking that they would be able to take down The Arrow. Their leader, knowing better, ran. He wouldn't get far, though.

Oliver knew how to read these criminals. The guy was headed for an overpass that would lead him deeper into the Glades, the rundown and now ravaged part of Starling City. Scaling the rooftops of the nearby buildings not only gave Oliver a better vantage point, but a quicker way to head the perpetrator off. As expected, the creep came barreling around the corner. Oliver shot an arrow with a cable into the building across from him. Within seconds he swung down, catching the man by surprise and kicking him into the brick wall.

The man grunted in pain before panic took over. Oliver leveled his loaded bow at him. This was his favorite part-when the criminals knew there was no escape and were about to face justice. "Jack Brant," Oliver growled in the deep, menacing voice of The Arrow. "You have failed this city."

"Please, let me go. I have money."

"I don't want your money."

"We didn't do anything wrong. We were just having some fun."

"I don't think your potential victim thought so. Or the other women you've put in the hospital." Oliver had been tracking Brant for some time now. He was a serial rapist with no remorse for the women he hurt. He would enjoy putting this man behind bars.

" _Oliver_ ," said a voice in his ear. " _I've called the cops. They'll be there in a few minutes. You've got to get out of there._ "

"Please," the man begged. He was as spineless as they came. It was probably why he only targeted women.

Oliver drew back his arm and released the arrow. The guy yelped as the cables from the arrow released, wrapped around him, and pinned him to the wall. Police sirens could be heard in the distance.

Brant opened his eyes and stared at his bindings. "That's it?" He sounded relieved.

Smirking, Oliver quickly drew another arrow and shot. This one pierced Brant's shoulder, and he screamed. "Now we're finished."

" _You just couldn't resist_ ," added the voice.

"Nope," Oliver replied before making his escape. The police were getting closer, and he needed to be long gone before they arrived. They still didn't like that the vigilante was interfering in their business.

Oliver returned to the spot where he'd hidden his motorcycle. It only took a few minutes to get back to the Foundry. It was his secret base of operations located underneath Verdant, the nightclub he co-owned with his best friend Tommy Merlyn. It was also in the Glades. The club had suffered some damage during the earthquake a few months ago but nothing severe. The reconstruction was almost done. Just in time for the grand reopening in a couple of days.

There was a private back entrance that was perfect for sneaking in and out of the Foundry without being seen. Oliver entered the club and headed straight for the secured door. It opened after he typed in the code.

"The police just picked up Brant and his guys. They're on their way to Iron Heights as we speak," John Diggle informed him. He'd originally been Oliver's bodyguard, but it had been tough for Oliver to slip away from him when he needed to hit the streets as The Arrow.

Diggle, sometimes too clever for his own good, managed to follow him one night last year. Not only did he figure out that Oliver was The Arrow, but Diggle had gotten hit in a shootout by a stray bullet laced with poison. Oliver, taking a chance, took Diggle back to the Foundry. He was able to stop the effects of the poison and told Diggle the truth about his mission. At first, Diggle didn't know what to think. He was a former service member in the army, specifically with Special Forces. He was used to a more structured approach, making him hesitant to join Oliver in his crusade. Eventually he saw the good Oliver was trying to do and agreed to be his partner. They'd been working together to save Starling ever since.

"Good. We can take them off the list."

Diggle checked his watch. "You better hurry if you're going to meet Tommy at Poison." It was Verdant's main competition on the club scene. Since it wasn't in the Glades, it managed to stay open these past few months. Max Fuller, the owner and Oliver's long-time rival, was probably enjoying stealing all of their clientele in Verdant's absence. It was exactly why Tommy wanted them to go to Poison tonight. Billionaire playboys Oliver Queen and Tommy Merlyn having a night on the town would make the papers. The more publicity they generated, the more hype they could build for Verdant's reopening. Plus, it would piss Fuller off. That was a benefit in and of itself.

"I'm not going," Oliver informed Diggle. "I just came back here to get some more arrows."

"Oliver, you've done enough patrolling tonight. We got Brant. You should go out with Tommy. Have some fun."

"Fun is not exactly my priority right now. Nor do I deserve it," he muttered more quietly as he restocked his arrows.

Diggle, as usual, wouldn't play the blame game. He crossed his arms, making his tall, dark frame appear even stronger. The man was a giant. "The earthquake wasn't your fault, Oliver. Your family's company may have made the machine, but you had no part in it."

"Well, I sure as hell didn't stop it," he snapped. "Now look what's become of the city. The Glades was destroyed. All those criminals escaped when Iron Heights was breached. They're on the streets, and the SCPD can't keep up. And my mother, she's-" He couldn't continue. Couldn't even think about that right now. It was too painful. "I owe it to this city to make things right."

"You won't be good to anyone, Oliver, if you run yourself into the ground," Diggle reasoned. "Take the rest of the night off. We'll start fresh tomorrow night."

"One more patrol."

"And the board meeting tomorrow," Diggle reminded him. "Will you be ready for that?"

Oliver silently cursed. He'd forgotten all about it. That explained all of the messages from his executive assistant that he purposefully ignored earlier. Oliver had never intended to take over the family business. After the earthquake, he had no choice but to step up. His family's company would've fallen to pieces otherwise, and more jobs would've been lost. The city had experienced enough tragedy. Tommy was in the same situation. He had to take over at Merlyn Global once his father's involvement in the plot to destroy the Glades was uncovered. As usual, they were at the mercy of their parents' terrible decisions.

Sensing that Oliver's resolve was weakening, Diggle repeated, "Go home, Oliver."

With a huff, Oliver put the arrows back and placed his bow in the glass case that held his gear. It wasn't enough to roam the streets as The Arrow. Starling City needed money to repair the damage and rebuild the Glades. Oliver was going to pitch the Queen Consolidated board members tomorrow about his plans to set up a fund for the reconstruction. It was the least the company could do. The Arrow may protect the city at night, but it was Oliver Queen who could make a difference in the light of day. The two sides of himself had a lot to atone for, though it would never be enough.

* * *

Oliver stood in front of the long row of windows in his penthouse loft apartment. Staring out at the city before him, it wasn't hard to understand why it was named Starling. The bright lights of the city shown like stars in the darkening sky. Each individual light represented a life being lived.

Oliver had been among them once. He'd lived an ignorant life of privilege. The Queens were one of the wealthiest families in the world. When anything and everything was at your disposal, it was hard not to get caught up in the seduction of it all. That's exactly what had happened to Oliver growing up. His parents, never able to say no, were willing to give him anything that he wanted. The more they gave, the more Oliver took. It sort of became his motto in life. If there was something he wanted, Oliver Queen would take it regardless of the rules.

The trouble started when he was a teenager. He and Tommy would sneak out of their respective mansions and meet up at whatever club was cool that week. Bribing the bouncers and bartenders was a breeze. The women followed close behind, easily able to sniff out that they were young and from money.

The older they got, the harder they partied. It wasn't long before Oliver started getting in trouble with the law. One drunken night he'd assaulted a member of the paparazzi who wouldn't leave him and his date alone. Another time he stole a taxi cab and crashed it into a fire hydrant. Oddly enough, the stunt that bothered his parents the most was when he was caught peeing in the large fountain in front of Queen Consolidated. "Pissing on the family legacy" was how his dad termed it.

Oliver was relieved when it was time for college. His grades in high school weren't good, but it made no difference. All the universities cared about was having an association with the Queen name and the large alumni donations his family would most likely give in the future. Oliver hadn't earned his place in college, which was probably why he never took it seriously. He made new friends, who were also a bad influence, joined a fraternity and almost never went to class. Eventually he dropped out and was on to the next school. The pattern continued before Oliver realized he'd had enough. College would never be for him. Looking back now, Oliver wished that his parents had been stricter with him.

They had done better with his younger sister Thea, though she was naturally a kind and caring person. There wasn't much to worry about with her. But if anybody did try to hurt her or put her in harm's way, then they had Oliver to deal with. Oliver couldn't be depended on for much, but he was always there when Thea needed him. His baby sister was the only thing in his life that he did truly care about.

That was until he'd started dating Laurel Lance. It wasn't long after he'd returned to Starling after dropping out of his third school. Laurel was taking pre-law classes at Starling City University. Her father was a detective with the SCPD; the need to carry out justice ran in the family. Tommy, who also went to SCU, had dragged Oliver to a party at her sorority house. He'd been talking to another girl when Laurel caught his eye. They'd known each other since grade school but lost touch when they'd started college. Laurel was hands down the most beautiful girl in the room with her long, curly brown hair and striking eyes. After making up some excuse to get away from the stage-five clinger chatting his ear off, he'd approached Laurel. The attraction that had always been there was suddenly too much to ignore. They'd hit it off immediately and ended up hooking up that night.

Usually, Oliver was a hit it and quit it kind of guy. That's why he was so surprised to find that he actually wanted to see Laurel again after their night together. Their romantic relationship progressed from there, and soon they were officially dating. It was Oliver's first real relationship, and for a while things had been great between them. Unfortunately, his bad boy nature couldn't be suppressed for long. Oliver started to feel suffocated when Laurel started asking about their future and suggesting that they get an apartment together. Oliver loved her, but he was nowhere near ready for that level of commitment.

That's when he began lying to her about where and with who he spent his time. The other women were more than willing to keep their hookups a secret, just as long as they got to spend time with Oliver Queen. Oliver hated himself for it, but it didn't stop him from making one bad choice after the next. His worst mistake was pursuing Laurel's sister Sara. She was a couple of years younger and had just started college. Oliver always sort of knew she'd had a crush on him.

When his father decided to take the family's yacht, The Queen's Gambit, for a business trip to China, Oliver convinced his father to let him come aboard. He managed to sneak Sara on with him, knowing it was the only time they could be together without any chance of getting caught. That night ended up being the worst of Oliver's life. There was a storm at sea, and the Queen's Gambit sank. Sara and a majority of the crew went down with the ship. It was just Oliver, his father and another crew member who managed to survive. They drifted for a couple of days on a life raft with little food and water.

On the third day, Robert Queen decided that it was only Oliver's life that mattered. He shot the other crew member and himself after telling Oliver to survive. Oliver was so delirious that he barely knew what was happening before it was too late. The raft continued to drift until it reached a deserted island-or so Oliver thought. Lian Yu was both a blessing and a curse. The five years of hell he faced after landing on that beach taught him more than just simple survival. It forged Oliver into a weapon. After everything he'd gone through to finally return to Starling City, Oliver was determined to use all that pain and suffering to do some real good in the world. He owed that to his father. But he couldn't do it as Oliver Queen. He had to become someone else. Something else. That's when he decided to be The Arrow.

Looking out over his city to the black hole that was now the Glades, Oliver felt the guilt creeping back in. He had failed the city despite his best efforts. All this time he'd thought it was his father's sins he'd been atoning for when his mother had been keeping secrets of her own. That secret had cost thousands of people their lives, including her own. The mere memory of her tragic death and the look on Thea's face after learning she'd lost another parent set his blood boiling. It made Oliver want to blow off this entire club reopening and hit the streets. He wouldn't rest until he found that bastard Malcolm Merlyn. Everything that had gone wrong in Oliver's life. Everyone that he had lost. It was all because of that man, and soon enough Oliver would make him pay.

There was movement behind him. Oliver, always on his guard, was just about to grab the antique knife display on the side table next to him when the lights flipped on.

"What are you doing standing in the dark?" asked Tommy. Diggle was behind him.

"Watching the city. The view's better when the lights are off."

Tommy joined him by the window. His eyes seemed to hone in on the Glades, as well. Oliver noticed a twinge of remorse on his face. It was hard to believe that Tommy was Malcolm's son. Tommy had always been a good, loyal friend. Sure, he'd gotten into as much trouble as Oliver growing up but deep down Tommy would do anything for the people he loved. They'd always been alike in that way.

"It's pretty fucked up, isn't it?" Tommy muttered. "I always knew my father was an ass but this..."

"You didn't know, Tommy," Oliver reassured him. He could practically feel Diggle's eyes boring holes in the back of his head. It's what his partner had been telling him repeatedly these last few months, and the irony was not lost on Oliver. "And that is what tonight's reopening is all about, right? Righting our family's wrongs." All of the money Verdant made tonight, which was sure to be a lot if the media hype was any indication, would be donated to the Starling City Earthquake Relief Fund.

"Yeah," his friend agreed. He stared out the window a moment longer before looking away. Seconds later that easy smile of his was back on his face. "So, how do I look? Suave? Debonair? Ruggedly handsome?"

Oliver chuckled, taking in his friend's dark blue Armani suit. "You look halfway decent."

"Hey, don't hate me 'cause you ain't me."

"Okay, I was away on an island for five years and even I know nobody says that anymore." Knowing the real reason why Tommy was so concerned with his appearance, he asked, "So Laurel's coming tonight?

Not long after he'd returned from the island, Oliver learned that Tommy and Laurel had gotten close. They were more than friends with benefits but not quite a couple. Oliver's resurrection from the dead had made things even more awkward. Tommy was thrilled to have his friend back, while Laurel could barely stand the sight of the man who'd not only betrayed her but caused her sister's death. Oliver completely understood her anger and why she turned to Tommy. Oliver did everything he could since returning to prove that he wasn't the selfish man he once was.

For a long time, Oliver thought that he was still in love with Laurel. Despite her anger, he'd thought he'd seen a few glimpses of the old feelings she once had for him. Laurel had been one of the reasons why Oliver hadn't gone crazy on that island. The picture of her he'd always kept in his wallet was one of his only ties to home. Even though Laurel did ultimately forgive him, they both realized there was no undoing the past. They were both better people, but they were also very different. Laurel deserved someone worthy of her love and that was Tommy. Oliver, with the path he was on as The Arrow, realized it was best to be alone.

"She texted me and said that she would."

"But you still refuse to ask her on a date," Oliver pointed out.

"Yes."

"And yet you still give a damn about your appearance."

"Yes."

"Tommy," Oliver said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Just ask her out already."

"My father is a mass murderer, Oliver. The media have been on us like sharks. I'm not going to let her reputation be dragged down with mine."

"Shouldn't that be her decision?"

Tommy, clearly not wanting to answer the question, nodded toward Diggle. "Let's go. This is one event we can't be fashionably late for."

"Your car is ready, Mr. Queen," Diggle informed him, playing his part as Oliver's bodyguard and driver.

Tommy pulled a flask out of his front pocket and took a swig before offering it to Oliver. "Let the feeding frenzy begin."

* * *

One last look in the mirror and Felicity was ready. She'd spent the last three hours getting dolled up for the big Verdant reopening. Felicity and the guys had arrived in Starling City the day before. Most of her time was spent in her hotel room finding out every last detail she could about Oliver Queen and tightening up her plan. Phase two began tonight.

She ran her hands over the bright pink cocktail dress. It had only one sleeveless strap with a jeweled silver clasp. Except for the thick strap going across her back to hold up the dress, the majority of her back was exposed. Forgoing her glasses tonight, Felicty did a smokey eye for a more sultry look and added her favorite pink lipstick to really make her lips pop. Instead of her signature straight ponytail, she let her naturally curly blond hair fall to her shoulders. All she needed was her silver heels and matching purse, and she'd be on her way.

Cooper and the guys were in the hotel bar getting drunk, so it was the perfect time for her to slip out. She made sure to turn off her phone's GPS. No way would Cooper be able to track her tonight. As she made her way through the hotel lobby to the front entrance, Felicity noticed a few appreciative stares from the men passing by. At least she had confirmation that she'd chosen the right outfit.

One of the doormen got her a taxi. It took about twenty minutes to get to Verdant from their hotel, since Cooper had chosen a hotel located in a more upscale part of Starling City. Felicity could hear the club before she could see it. The rhythmic thumping of techno music echoed down the street. When Felicity saw the line of cars to the front entrance, she decided that she was close enough. She could easily walk the rest of the way.

There were two roped-off lines out front. The one to the right was long and stretched down the block. The one on the left was shorter, clearly for VIPs. Felicity got in that line behind some leggy model type. "Felicity Smoak," she said when the bouncer asked for her name. There was no doubt in her mind that he'd find it, as she'd hacked into the VIP guest list earlier to add it.

Sure enough, the bouncer nodded for her to go on in.

The first floor of the club was packed. Felicity wasn't sure how people were dancing, since she could barely walk more than a few inches at a time. This was much more intense than she thought it was going to be, but she probably should have expected it. Oliver Queen billionaire playboy was guaranteed to draw a rambunctious crowd. But it wasn't just Oliver Queen that Felicity was seeking tonight. It was The Arrow-if all of her months of in-depth research and investigation were correct. He did a thorough job of concealing his dual identity to most people, she'd give him that. Felicity, however, wasn't most people.

Finally, Felicity made it to the staircase that led to the VIP area. It was slightly less crowded but not by much. It came as no surprise that the section with the most people was where Oliver Queen was situated. He was standing and chatting with a few other men in suits. The women on their arms and nearby wore some of the tightest, shortest dresses Felicity had ever seen. The vixen-esque redhead standing by Mr. Queen's side must not have eaten in weeks. How their lady parts stayed in place had Felicity seriously questioning the laws of gravity.

Felicity found a spot by the balcony railing that gave her a better view of Oliver Queen. He definitely had the tall, dark and handsome thing going on. The pictures she'd seen of him in the tabloids hardly did him justice. She scrutinized him further, searching for any hints that he was indeed Starling City's infamous vigilante. Aside from his obviously strong, muscular build, he looked like your average billionaire-assuming billionaires could be considered average, really.

The longer Felicity stared at him, the foggier her usually quick and clever brain was becoming. Approaching Mr. Queen was going to be much more difficult than she anticipated. How could she have possibly thought that she could waltz right up to someone like him and start a conversation? There were far more important people here claiming his attention. And she couldn't very well come out and say that she knew he was The Arrow. She couldn't show her full hand. Not yet. But that didn't change the fact that he needed to notice her, however briefly.

This definitely called for some liquid courage. Felicity made her way over to the bar and ordered a red wine. It wasn't the most popular brand of alcohol at a club like this, but it was Felicity's favorite. She'd take a few sips, get a grip and figure out a new plan of attack.

"Thank you," Felicity said to the bartender. As she turned around to make sure she didn't lose track of Mr. Queen, she collided with a hard body. It wouldn't have been a big deal under normal circumstances if her wine hadn't tipped forward. Felicity gasped as she saw the big, wet red stain on the gray suit jacket. "Oh my God, I am so sorry! I'm such a-" her words disappeared when she looked up and found herself face to face with none other than Oliver Queen.

 _Well, mission accomplished. He's noticed you now_.

"Oh, Mr. Queen, I didn't see you. I apologize. I can totally fix this. My mom's a cocktail waitress in Vegas. She deals with drunken idiots all the time, so she knows how to get rid of wine stains. Not that I'm an idiot or drunk. I'm not drunk at all actually. I didn't even get to take a sip before spilling it all over you. It's just that I turned around quickly and there you were and I didn't see-" Felicity quickly shut her mouth once she realized that she was babbling. It was a nasty habit Felicity already had that only got worse when she was in high-stress situations. Spilling her wine all over Oliver Queen's expensive designer suit could unquestionably qualify as a high-stress situation.

Felicity cautiously met his gaze and was both shocked and relieved to see that Mr. Queen wasn't scowling. In fact, it looked as if he was trying not to smile. "My point is that some club soda and soap will take that right out."

Mr. Queen stared at her for a moment longer before taking off his suit jacket. He handed it off to the redhead, who was clearly not as amused as he was by the situation. "Carrie, you heard, um...what's your name?"

The blonde cleared her throat. "Felicity Smoak."

"You heard Ms. Smoak. Can you please try and get the stain out?"

"Of course, Oliver," she replied with a smile, then glared at Felicity before taking off.

"Your girlfriend?" Felicity questioned.

"My assistant."

"Oh. Well, I'm really sorry again, Mr. Queen."

"Please, call me Oliver. Mr. Queen was more my father."

"I know, but he's dead. I mean, he drowned. But you didn't, which means you can be here to listen to me babble. Which will end in three, two, one..." Felicity officially wanted nothing more than to crawl behind the bar and die in that moment. "I'm just going to..." She motioned to the stairs and was about to leave when Oliver halted her.

"How about I buy you another drink? It's the least I could do after so rudely spilling it all over myself." He could no longer hide his grin.

"Okay," she said before her brain had time to process her response. He was even more mesmerizing up close. Those baby blue eyes coupled with his strong jaw and a hint of facial hair had her feeling weak in the knees. This was yet another reaction she wasn't expecting.

"Another wine for the young lady and a scotch, neat, for me," he ordered while rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that, especially when it was my fault." She handled the wine glass with caution.

He shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Accidents happen. So, Ms. Smoak, do you live in Starling?"

"Oh, Felicity is fine. And, no. I live in Central City. I'm only in town for a few days." She took a sip of her wine.

"On business?"

"Yes, sort of. I work in IT. Nothing special. The details would probably bore you." She glanced around the room. "The club looks great. The reopening seems to be a success."

"I think we'll be making a sizeable contribution to the relief fund."

"I read about that. It's a generous gesture."

"It's the least we can do." His voice took on a more serious tone. "In fact, I wish we could do more."

Felicity gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you will." It was obvious that he deeply cared about the city. "Plus, there's The Arrow," she added nonchalantly.

Oliver placed his drink back down. Felicity noted the sudden tension in his shoulders. "What about him?"

"I just mean that he's done an awful lot to protect Starling. This city is lucky to have someone like him watching out for it. I know I would sleep easier at night."

The tension in his body eased as he studied her for a moment. Any doubts that she'd been wrong about him being The Arrow dissipated. There was a keen intelligence behind those killer blue eyes of his. She could tell that he was absorbing what she was saying. "So you're a fan?" he teased.

"Well, I wouldn't necessarily use that word. 'Fan' sort of implies that I, like, make t-shirts with green hooded figures on them and carry an imitation bow in my purse." Her words made Oliver laugh, which for some reason brought a smile to her own face.

He arched his brow. "So you don't make t-shirts and travel with a bow?"

"Definitely not," Felicity replied. "Sharp objects make me nervous. Actually, all pointy things. Needles especially. So, yeah, I guess you can add arrows to that list. And kangaroos but they're not sharp or pointy, just super creepy." She took a much-needed breath to gain control of her mouth once more. "Anyway, I'd say I'm more of an admirer of The Arrow."

"I'll keep that in mind." Oliver's voice was low once more, and he was standing much closer than she'd originally thought.

They stared at each other in silence. For a moment, the entire club disappeared. No one existed but them as they each tried to figure out the other. Felicity wondered if he could sense that she knew more than she was letting on. Or maybe he was simply flattered by the compliment. Either way, she'd gotten her message across.

Oliver was the first to speak, and she leaned in closer to hear him. "Felicity, while you're in town, would you like to-"

"Here you are, Oliver. Good as new," Carrie interrupted, dangling his suit jacket between them.

Felicity blinked, as if coming out of a trance. Was it her imagination, or did she actually just have a moment with Oliver Queen? As quickly as the thought entered her mind, she dismissed it. He was probably like this with all of his women. Felicity read the tabloids. It would be ridiculous to think that she was the exception to the rule. It was that line of thinking that got her in trouble with Cooper in the first place.

"Thank you, Carrie," Oliver replied, his voice tight. "Would you please find Tommy for me? I need to speak with him."

The redhead nodded, threw Felicity one last dirty look and set off into the crowd. Felicity figured that was her cue to leave. "Thank you again for the drink despite me spilling my first one on you."

Oliver put his jacket back on. "Well, your tip did work."

Felicity ran her hand over the now clean spot. "Yes, it did."

Oliver gently placed his hand over hers. Almost instantly she felt her skin tingle where they were touching. "It was nice to meet you, Felicity Smoak." His piercing blue eyes bore into hers.

"It was nice meeting you, too, Oliver Queen." Pulling away was much harder than it should've been, but somehow Felicity managed it. This time, she welcomed the cover of the crowd.

* * *

Oliver barely noticed when Diggle approached him. He'd been too preoccupied looking after the beautiful blonde as she made her way out of the VIP area. He was tempted to walk over to the railing and see if she left the club completely but resisted the urge. It was best that he let her go. Oliver still wasn't entirely sure what had come over him a few minutes ago.

"Who was that?" Diggle questioned.

"Felicity Smoak."

"Is she a friend of yours?"

"No. We just met."

Oliver had walked over to the bar as an excuse to get away from all of the shop talk and ass kissing with Starling's elite. He hadn't even noticed Felicity until she turned around, and her drink spilled all over him. The annoyance barely had a chance to register before she'd gone off on that ridiculously cute tangent about drunks in Vegas and stain removal methods. Her guilt and embarrassment were apparent, but there was also an innocence about her. It wasn't something Oliver saw often, which somehow made him want to comfort her instead. The babbling aside, it was the most interesting conversation he'd had all night.

Felicity continued to surprise him with her comments about The Arrow. When she'd first brought it up, Oliver had expected to hear the usual complaints about vigilantes running amok and interfering with police business. Felicity thought the exact opposite. She admired his efforts to keep the city safe. It affected him more than it probably should've, not that she had any way of knowing that.

"Could've fooled me."

Diggle's sly tone wasn't lost on Oliver. He looked over at his friend. "What?"

"Who knew a mysteriously beautiful woman spilling her drink all over you could have you smiling like that?"

"I wasn't smiling."

"No, you're right. Grinning like an idiot is much more appropriate," Diggle replied, enjoying Oliver's sudden discomfort. "Say what you want, but that's the most I've seen you smile since, well, ever."

Oliver didn't want to get too deep into this conversation. "It's not a big deal."

"You should've asked her out."

He almost had. If Carrie and her inappropriately jealous tendencies hadn't interrupted, Oliver would've asked Felicity to dinner. Carrie probably did him a favor in the end. His love life was at the very bottom of his priorities list right now. Oliver couldn't afford to get attached to anyone and vice versa. Still, the moment he touched Felicity something sparked inside of him.

"I can look her up. See where she works," Diggle pressed. "Maybe she can spill coffee on you the next time."

"Who are you? Cupid?" Oliver retorted, exasperated.

Diggle shrugged innocently but took the hint to let it go. "Just trying to help."

"You can help me by tracking down Merlyn." He dropped his voice even lower as Tommy approached. "That's what we need to focus on."

"Oliver, Carrie said you were looking for me."

"Oh, I only said that to give her something to do."

Tommy laughed. "She cock blocking again? I saw you with the blonde. She was hot. You get her number?"

Oliver ignored the smirk Diggle was sending him and countered, "Have you asked Laurel out yet?"

"I think I need another drink." That was a definite no.

Oliver called the bartender over. This was going to be a long night. "Make that two."

* * *

It was almost two in the morning when Felicity returned to the hotel. The butterflies doing cartwheels in her stomach from talking to Oliver turned carnivorous as soon as she saw Cooper standing outside her hotel room. What the heck did he want now?

"Hey, Cooper," she greeted, keeping her voice calm and pleasant. "What are you still doing up?"

"I could ask you the same question," he retorted, slurring the last word. His glazed eyes looked her up and down.

"You're drunk." This was the last thing Felicity felt like dealing with.

"Nice outfit. Who did you get all dressed up for?"

"That's none of your business."

"Do you have a secret boyfriend? Is that why you wanted to come to Starling City so bad?"

"No. We're here to do a job."

Cooper pushed off of the wall to stand in front of her. He was so close she could smell the alcohol on his breath. "So that's why you snuck out. You went to Queen's club. How was it? Were you able to catch a glimpse of the charming prince?"

"I'm tired, Coop. I'm going to bed."

He pulled her towards him. "I could join you. I'm not a pretty-boy billionaire, but I was always able to show you a good time."

"Stop it, Cooper. I mean it," Felicity objected, pushing him roughly away. "I'm going to my room. _Alone_. I suggest you do the same." She walked around him to her door.

"Come on, babe, I-"

Felicity didn't give him a chance to finish. She couldn't stand to hear another word. "Sleep it off, Coop," she muttered and slammed the door in his face. She rested her back against it and closed her eyes. Felicity's entire body was shaking. She just had to hold on a little bit longer, and then everything would be okay.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! It's great to see that many Naley fans, like myself, have jumped onto the Olicity train. Here is the next chapter for you guys. It's not as long as the first one, since that chapter had a lot of setup for the story. The chapters from here on out will be around this length.  
**

 **Also, if you want to read the dialogue tease for the next chapter on Tuesday, follow me on twitter (Bindy_417).** **Thanks again and I'm looking forward to your comments.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Today was the day everything would change. The third and final phase of Felicity's plan was about to begin. The thought filled her with a nervous excitement. She'd spent the morning rechecking her equipment and putting the finishing touches on her programs. Everything was set and ready to go.

Unfortunately, Felicity couldn't avoid Cooper all day. She'd like to after the stunt he pulled last night. It wasn't the first time he'd tried to hit on her, but it hadn't happened for a while. Felicity had hoped he'd let it go already. There was no way in hell they were getting back together. It baffled her that Cooper still thought he had a chance after all the crap he'd put her through.

With a sigh, Felicity left her hotel room and knocked on Cooper's door. She was supposed to brief the guys on their operation and what their roles would be. Myron let her in, looking a little worse for wear from the night before. In fact, they all looked like crap. Felicity shook her head at them. "We're about to hack into Queen Consolidated, a company with one of the best security systems in the country, and you're all hungover. This is great. We might as well turn ourselves in right now."

"Can you not talk so loud?" Chase groaned.

"Unbelievable," Felicity huffed in annoyance. Truthfully, she was thrilled. The guys being hungover made what she was about to propose to them more feasible.

"We'll be fine," Cooper told her. He was having a hard time looking her in the eye.

 _Good,_ Felicity thought. He should be embarrassed about last night.

"So what's the plan? Did your little excursion last night prove useful?"

"Actually, it did. Some of Oliver Queen's employees were at Verdant last night. One assistant manager in the IT department was particularly chatty. Their system is a bit more complicated than I'd thought," she fibbed. Queen Consolidated did have pretty good security measures put in place, but she figured that out on her own by hacking in a few times.

"How complicated?" Cooper grumpily demanded.

"We can still move forward with our plan, but I don't think we should do it here in the hotel. It might be better to go to a different location just in case we're traced. And since you guys aren't exactly in peak condition right now, it's probably the safest option." Felicity told them about an abandoned warehouse not too far from Verdant that they could use. If they were traced, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for illegal activity to be taking place in The Glades.

"The Glades are still a mess," Myron added. "Even if the cops did try to come after us, we'd be long gone."

"Fine," Cooper agreed, rubbing his temples. "We'll head out this afternoon and get it all set up for tonight." He looked to Drake. "Don't forget the guns."

Felicity's head snapped up at that. "Guns? Since when do we have guns?"

"Since always. I didn't tell you, because I know you hate them."

"Why do we even need them?"

"It's just a precaution. The Glades are rough, and then there's The Arrow roaming around. It's not up for discussion," Cooper warned. "I'm not taking any chances."

For a second, she thought about calling the whole thing off. The guys being armed wasn't something Felicity had been planning on. She didn't want anyone to actually get hurt. But when would she ever get this chance again? Felicity decided she could handle this new development. Her plan would need just a little reworking.

Felicity was headed for the door when Cooper halted her. "Can we talk for a second?" he asked quietly so the guys wouldn't overhear.

"We talked long enough last night," she retorted and was satisfied to see him grimace.

"I was really drunk last night and you looked so...anyway, that wasn't me."

 _Yes, it was_. "Fine. Let's just forget about it."

"Are we okay?"

 _No_. "Of course, Coop," she lied, her stomach in knots.

"Good." Cooper sounded relieved. He took her hand in his. "I know things have been rough lately. But I really don't know what I'd do without you, babe."

Felicity returned his smile. _You're about to find out._

* * *

There was nothing like a grueling workout to clear one's mind and ease some frustration. Oliver swung himself upward on the salmon ladder and continued his pull-ups routine. The board members had agreed to donate money to Starling City's reconstruction, but it was nowhere near the amount Oliver wanted to give. It had taken everything inside of him to control his temper. Oliver suddenly had a new appreciation for his parents; he didn't know how they put up with such self-absorbed people for so many years.

"So what's the plan for tonight?" Diggle was getting some hits on the sparring dummy.

Oliver finished his last set and jumped down to the ground. "There have been reports of medical supply trucks being hijacked on the way to Glades Memorial Hospital. We need to figure out who's behind it and how they're picking their targets."

"There was a guy, a doctor, I served with in Afghanistan. He works there. I'll see what I can find out."

"Good." There was a soft ping from the computer. Oliver walked over to see what the system had flagged. "What the hell?"

"What's up?"

"Something's wrong at QC." Sure enough, his phone rang. It was Carrie. Oliver quickly answered. "Carrie, what's going on?"

" _Oliver, we have a serious problem. The entire system is down at QC. It's been infected with some kind of virus_ ," she explained. " _IT is trying to get rid of it, but they're having a hard time._ "

"Do we know how the virus got in our system?"

" _It's a little more complicated than that. There's this message running on all of the computers. It's from that cyber-terrorist group Brother Eye._ "

"Brother Eye?" The name sounded vaguely familiar to Oliver. He'd heard it somewhere in the media, but the details were eluding him.

" _What should we do?_ " Carrie questioned, sounding panicked. " _Are you coming back to QC?_ "

"There's nothing I'd be able to do. Tell IT to keep working on it, and keep me posted," Oliver replied and hung up. He turned to Diggle, who was already doing an Internet search of this Brother Eye group. "What'd you find out?"

"Brother Eye is a cyber-terrorist group known for targeting major corporations," said Diggle. His eyes were quickly scanning the information he'd pulled up. "Their M.O. is unleashing a virus on the company's system. It allows them to hack into funds and transfer the money to another unknown entity."

"Basically, they corrupt the system long enough to pocket the cash," Oliver summarized.

"Yeah. So far they've been untraceable. Their most recent target was Kord Industries."

"Damn it." It was one thing to hunt down criminals in the street. Dealing with cyber-terrorists was an entirely different situation. Far beyond Oliver's normal capabilities. He could kiss QC's donation to Starling City goodbye. If the hackers took a sizable chunk from QC, then they weren't going to authorize funds for any extraneous endeavors.

"What do you want to do?"

Oliver's phone pinged once more. It was probably Carrie with another update. "What the...?" A red glowing eyeball appeared on his phone. It was followed by a text message.

 **I know you're The Arrow. I'm on your side. If you want to save your company, meet me at 254 Stein Street. I'll direct you once you get there. Do EXACTLY as I instruct. Be warned, the men inside are armed.**

Oliver looked to Diggle. "We have a bigger problem."

The adrenaline Oliver felt from his workout earlier morphed into pure fury. How in the hell did this group know that he was The Arrow? And what was with the cryptic message? They were on his side? It didn't make any sense. It was probably a trap, but Oliver would go anyway. At least now he had someone to hit.

It didn't take them long at all to get to the abandoned warehouse. It was very close to Verdant, which set Oliver further on edge. He didn't like that this Brother Eye group seemed to be one step ahead of him. Diggle objected to them going in blind, but what choice did they have? There was no way they'd be able to track this group after they lost contact.

"How exactly are we supposed to find this guy?" Diggle muttered.

Oliver felt his phone vibrate once more.

 **Use the side entrance on the right. You'll see the loading dock. Take the door on the left.**

So it wasn't just that they knew he was The Arrow. They were also tracking his phone. Oliver bristled. "That way."

"I really don't like this," Diggle repeated. His gun was out and at the ready.

Oliver led the way to the loading dock and cautiously made his way through the door. It was clear thus far.

 **Now walk down the hall and take a right into the conference room.**

They did as instructed and found the dark, empty conference room.

 **There is another door that will lead to an office.**

They walked into the office, which was also empty. "If I wanted to play hide and seek, I would've spent the night with my nephew," Diggle quietly grumbled.

 **I'm in the supply closet.**

Oliver spotted the closet door in the corner. From the crack at the bottom, he noticed a light flicker on inside. This was it. Diggle took hold of the doorknob while Oliver put his phone away and loaded his bow. After his signal that he was ready, Diggle pulled the door open quickly.

Oliver was completely floored as he took in the scene before him. Of all the things he'd expected, it definitely wasn't this. It took a second for him to recognize her. Her blond hair was straight and in a ponytail, revealing an industrial piercing in her right ear. She also wore dark-rimmed glasses. The only similarity to that night they'd met at Verdant was the bright pink lipstick on her lips.

"Felicity?" Oliver retorted, taken aback.

"Please don't shoot me," the blonde rushed out. "I really am on your side, Oliver, and I can totally explain." Her hands were up in a gesture of surrender. The only item she held was a small tablet.

"You're Brother Eye?" He lowered his bow and pulled back his hood. She already knew who he was, so it's not like he had anything left to hide.

Diggle kept his gun drawn, just in case.

"Yes and no."

"Which is it?" Oliver demanded.

"Yes, I am a member of Brother Eye. But it's not by choice. It's kind of a long story, actually, and we don't have much time."

"Why did you target my company?"

"Because I need The Arrow's help. I can't take down Brother Eye alone, and I can't go to the police. Not directly."

"Because you're just as guilty," he surmised.

"I've been trapped for five years in hell." She was trying to put up a strong front, he could tell, but she couldn't completely hide the desperation in her voice. "If anyone can understand that, it's you."

Despite his better judgment, Oliver felt the impulsive need to protect her. His frustration mounted as he tried to work out the details. "And just what exactly do you expect me to do? It's not like I'm some IT whiz. I can't hand them over to the cops without evidence."

"I know that. I've already covered that," Felicity informed him. "The digital trail is set. In fact"-she checked her watch-"they've probably already realized that they're in big trouble."

"Meaning?" Diggle prompted.

"It's really technical, but I compromised the virus that we usually use to hack into a system. Basically, I left a few digital breadcrumbs that your IT experts should be able to trace. They've probably already contacted the authorities. All I need from you is to make sure that the guys don't get away before the police arrive."

"Felicity!" someone shouted in the distance.

Felicity glanced at her tablet. "Crap. That's Chase." At their questioning stares, she elaborated, "I'm tracking their phones in the building. I hid in here because it's as far away from where the guys are stationed with the equipment. It gave me more time to contact you uninterrupted."

Oliver could feel a headache coming on. "How many guys are there?"

Chase called for her again. He was getting closer. "Oliver," Dig warned.

"There's four. They're not exactly skilled fighters, but they do have guns." She met his torn gaze, hope shining in her own. "Does that mean you'll help me?"

Oliver inwardly cursed at himself. Felicity had played him perfectly. Their casual run-in had been a setup from the start. That irked him more than this wild goose chase she'd sent him on. Now that she'd gotten him here and his company was directly involved, that didn't leave him many options. He didn't like being backed into a corner.

As if sensing his irritation, Felicity added, "I meant what I said about this city being lucky to have The Arrow to protect it. I know I don't live here and you probably don't trust me, but I really do need your help. I wouldn't risk exposing you or myself otherwise."

Oliver was skilled at reading people. Looking at Felicity now, he could tell that she meant every word. Underneath that sincerity was also a very real thread of fear. If he turned his back on her now, he'd be feeding her to the wolves. His decision was made. "Stay here with Diggle while I take care of them. Then you are coming with us and telling me how exactly you found out I'm The Arrow."

Felicity sighed in relief. "Deal." Her smile lit up her entire face before she was back in business mode. She gave Oliver detailed instructions to the main room where the guys were located. Diggle gave her his earpiece, so that she could speak with Oliver directly in case any of the guys tried to escape.

"Watch her," Oliver whispered to Diggle as he pulled up his hood.

"Oliver, wait," Felicity halted him. "Please just...I know The Arrow sometimes has to...please don't kill them. That's not what I wanted."

He stared at her for a moment before leaving the room. That was a promise Oliver couldn't make. The truth was he didn't know Felicity well enough to completely trust her, and he still didn't know all of the details of the situation. If the guys were armed and tried to kill him, then Oliver would defend himself by any means necessary.

* * *

" _Felicity, talk to me_ ," Oliver said in her ear.

The blonde was furiously swiping away on her tablet. They had a limited window of time. Felicity had been right about QC's IT team being able to trace Brother Eye. A call had already been placed to the police. They had ten minutes before the cops arrived.

"Chase is headed right toward you, around the corner." Felicity turned to Oliver's partner/bodyguard. She'd briefly noticed him in the background at Verdant last night. He was much larger up close than she realized. "Um, Mr. Diggle, is it? Can you watch my phone? I'm running a program that's monitoring the squad cars that were dispatched."

"You were able to hack into the SCPD's system?"

"Yeah. I need you to let me know when they are in the area while I help Oliver track down the others."

"Damn," Diggle muttered, more awed than appalled.

There was a scuffle over the radio and a thump. " _Chase is down_ ," Oliver said. " _I'm heading for the main room._ "

"The rest of the guys are still grouped there."

"Your phone is vibrating," Diggle informed her.

It was probably Cooper calling her. He must be flipping out by now. "Ignore it." She touched the earpiece. "Oliver, don't shoot the equipment. That's evidence."

Felicity turned on the computer cameras remotely, so she could see inside the room. Cooper had his phone to his ear, cursing and pacing like a wild animal. Myron and Drake were furiously typing away on their computers while yelling at each other.

" _Shut it down_!" Drake shouted at Myron.

" _I can't retract the virus! It's completely out of my control. What the fuck is this?_ " he hollered back. " _We need Felicity._ "

" _Fuck!_ " Cooper swore and slammed his hands down on the table. " _Drake, track her_."

" _The GPS in her phone is turned off again_."

" _The bitch set us up. I told you something was going on_ ," Myron growled. He'd never liked her, even in college. Felicity always got the feeling that he hated being bested by a girl. Once again, he had.

" _Where's Chase?_ " Drake interjected. " _He should've been back by now._ "

" _Do you think Felicity took him out?_ "

Cooper was shaking his head. " _No, she wouldn't do this to me. Felicity knows if we go down, she goes down. For all we know, she's in trouble too. Something isn't right._ "

" _You don't think it's that green vigilante, do you?_ " Drake started looking around wildly.

Cooper and Myron were pulling out their guns. " _The guy's all brawn and no brains. No way could he figure out what we were doing here so quickly_."

" _Guess again,_ " came a deep, menacing voice.

Felicity saw the guys stare above the computer screens at what she assumed was Oliver several feet away.

" _Brother Eye, you have failed this city_." There was a swooshing sound before one of the cameras went dead.

"I said don't shoot the equipment!" Felicity exclaimed. Oliver didn't reply, much to her annoyance.

"He probably just shot the screen and not the actual processor," Diggle assured her.

"Does he always not follow directions?" Felicity retorted in exasperation. Even though the cops would be taking the computers, the very idea of such fine pieces of equipment being destroyed deeply wounded her inner techie.

Diggle's smirk quickly disappeared as he stared at her phone. "Tell Oliver the police are five minutes away."

"Oliver, you have five minutes before the cops arrive. You have to hurry," Felicity informed him.

The only reply she got was gunfire, making Felicity jump. She couldn't see the guys in the camera anymore. They must've scattered. She switched back to her tracking program. They were all spread out but still in the same room. Felicity hoped that Oliver was okay. She didn't mean to send him into a warzone.

"I swear I didn't know they'd be packing heat," Felicity murmured, worried.

"He's faced worse. I should get you out of here, though."

"The fastest way out is the way you and Oliver came in."

"All right. Keep your eyes open and follow me."

Felicity did as Diggle said and stayed close behind him. She wished she knew what was going on with Oliver and the guys. More gunshots could be heard on the other side of the warehouse. Farther off in the distance sirens sounded.

"Oliver, the cops are almost here," she warned.

" _I've got one more to take down. He ran. You guys need to get out of there._ "

"We're already on the move."

" _Give the earpiece back to Diggle._ "

Felicity handed it to him. Diggle placed it back in his ear as they left the warehouse. He was mumbling something to Oliver. "Felicity, he needs a location on the last guy."

Panic flared within her when she saw that it was Cooper who was still on the move. "He's at the front of the building, heading east."

Diggle relayed the message to Oliver before taking hold of Felicity's arm and guiding her in the shadows. There was a van parked past the neighboring building. "I'm taking you somewhere safe."

"But what about-"

"He'll handle it, but I have to get you out of here now."

Felicity got in the passenger side. She'd barely fastened her seatbelt before Diggle sped off. They went down a few sides streets. It was all a maze to Felicity, as she wasn't familiar with the area. Soon enough they were pulling up behind Verdant.

"Are you sure we should be going here right now?" The strobe lights were flashing inside, and the music pounded. It was another busy night at the club.

"Oliver had a private entrance installed. We'll go in through the back and wait in his office. Nobody should bother us there."

They snuck in through the back undetected, as Diggle explained. Oliver's office had its own alcove away from the main club area. It must've been heavily insulated, because she could barely hear the music once inside.

It was a typical office with a desk and chairs. There were a couple of family pictures on a side table but not much else for decoration. Felicity took a seat on the black leather couch up against the wall. The adrenaline she'd felt earlier in executing her plan was fading. Weariness set in. She'd spent years trying to find a way out of Brother Eye and to cover her tracks. It was only in these last several months that she seriously pursued it, tying up any loose ends. Now that it was almost over, all she wanted to do was go back to her hotel room and sleep.

"Would you like something to drink?" Diggle had walked over to a mini-fridge and pulled out a water.

"Um, do you have any Diet Coke?"

"Just regular."

"That's fine." After the night Felicity had, she could probably use the extra calories. She mumbled her thanks and took a long sip. "How much longer do you think Oliver will be?"

"He's on his way back now."

Felicity breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God." She took a few more sips of soda. The caffeine was keeping her body from crashing. Though it felt good to rest her head back and shut her eyes for a minute. The couch was a lot more comfortable than it looked.

She didn't know how much time passed, but her eyes shot open at the sound of the door opening. Oliver had changed into a normal business suit, looking every bit like a CEO. It was kind of fascinating how he switched from one identity to the other.

"Did you get Cooper?" was the first thing out of her mouth.

Oliver shot a quick look to Diggle before shaking his head. "No."

"Oh my God, what?!" Felicity cried, her mind already going a thousand miles a minute. "How could he have possibly gotten away from you?" Cooper could be pretty slick when he wanted to be, but Oliver was The Arrow. She'd heard about all of the tough and agile criminals he'd taken down. Cooper should've been easy.

"I would've had him if the police hadn't gotten in my way," Oliver explained with a hint of frustration. "Unfortunately, their number one priority is still trying to catch me. I think Cooper realized that, because he started shooting again. That made the police open fire, which meant I was too busy dodging their bullets to get to him."

Felicity ran her hand over her face. "Oh, God." She felt sick.

"The police have the other guys in custody. I'm sure it won't be long before-"

"You don't understand," Felicity cut in. She was in full panic mode. "Of all the guys that needed to be locked up, it had to be Cooper. I might be smarter than him, but he's much more dangerous. He's the one who started Brother Eye. And when he finds out I betrayed him-and he will-he's going to come after me. God, I'm so dead."

Oliver took a seat across from her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, relax. Take a deep breath."

Felicity did as he said and breathed. She was still shaking but felt a little calmer.

"Good. Now start at the beginning."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, thanks for the reviews! One week until _Arrow_ is back on, and I'm super excited for this ****season. Looks like a lot of great Olicity and OTA ahead. Here's the next chapter for you.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

There was so much to tell Oliver and his partner that Felicity didn't know how to start. It's not like she'd ever told anyone her story. She'd never had the chance to get close to anyone outside of Brother Eye. Spilling her secrets was a little scary. Felicity wasn't sure how they were going to react. They'd helped her thus far, but she wasn't under the illusion that they now trusted her. What if something she said turned them against her?

They waited patiently for her to begin. Taking another deep breath, Felicity decided to stick to the facts. She told them about meeting Cooper and getting involved in the hacktivist group. She mentioned the super virus and how Cooper's greed grew, leading him to create Brother Eye.

"So this super virus can get into any system?" Oliver interrupted.

"Any infected server, yes. If there are vulnerabilities, the virus will exploit them."

"You were a member of the hacktivist group, but you told me you were forced into Brother Eye. How did that happen?"

"Look, I realize how misguided we were back then. We thought we were doing some real good in the world, but really we were just kids playing with matches. The virus...it was my creation," Felicity revealed. "I never intended to use it. So much of my focus was on if I _could_ create it rather than if I _should_. If I'd known what was brewing beneath the surface with Cooper, I never would've shown it to him in the first place."

"Then what?"

"When I found out that Cooper was using the virus to steal money from companies, I told him that I was done. I wanted no part of his plans. He didn't like that answer, and so he threatened to go to the authorities. If he got caught, which he probably would without me to help him, he would tell them I created the virus." She sighed. "They would've believed him, because my digital fingerprints were all over it." Felicity took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes before putting them back on. Her head was pounding. "I've been under his control ever since."

Oliver was still having some trouble connecting the dots. "How did that lead you to discovering that I am The Arrow?"

"I couldn't just erase what I'd done. It wasn't possible, and it wouldn't be enough to get away from Cooper for good. I had to not only retrace my steps and destroy my digital markers, but then I had to make sure that Cooper and the guys were implicated."

"You could've gone to the police then."

Felicity shook her head. "Cooper knew I couldn't leave the group, but he was still suspicious. He liked to keep a close eye on me, and I didn't trust that he wouldn't figure out my plan. I also didn't know if the authorities would try to bring me down with him in the end. It took me two years to start setting up the digital trail while also wiping my involvement in Brother Eye. After altering the virus, I spent another two years trying to find the perfect opportunity to set him up without showing my hand. I only had one shot at this.

"We moved to Central City about a year ago. It was then that I started to see the news reports of the vigilante in Starling. I kept track of you. You targeted the wealthy and brought down criminals but not for personal gain. You were outside the law, but you still sought justice." Felicity met Oliver's gaze straight on. "That's when I knew you were the only one who could help me."

Her words made his chest tighten. "You still haven't told me how you connected me to The Arrow," Oliver reminded her.

"I estimated the times between an emergency call and how long it took you to show up at the scene. I plugged that into an algorithm I wrote, and it led me to Verdant." Felicity looked down in embarrassment as she confessed, "Then I kind of hacked into your system here at Verdant and found your hidden network, which could use a serious upgrade by the way. And that reminded me of how the SCPD thought you were The Arrow when you first arrived home." She cringed at what she was about to tell him. He already didn't look happy. "Just to be sure I kinda, sorta, maybe a little bit hacked into your phone's GPS function and learned that you were, in fact, in all of those locations at those times."

Oliver exchanged a look with Diggle. He didn't know whether to be impressed or horrified by Felicity's capabilities. In a way, he could understand why Cooper had been so eager to trap her. The woman was a genius.

"Well, you got what you wanted," Diggle stated. "Oliver managed to turn the other Brother Eye members over to the authorities. You don't think they're going to tell them it was all you?"

"Oh, I'm sure they will. But as far as the cops and FBI will be able to tell, Cooper was the one who created the virus and they were the ones unleashing it on the corporations. I managed to keep a property in Boston as my permanent address while moving around with Brother Eye. Any records of me living anywhere else have been wiped, and the majority of my legitimate consulting work has been done over the phone-with a few exceptions."

"What about Cooper? He's still out there."

"There's nothing he can do to reverse what I've done. But that doesn't mean he can't come after me now," Felicity replied, clearly worried. "I hadn't planned on this."

Oliver had heard enough. "Excuse us for a minute." He stood up and motioned for Diggle to join him across the room. "What do you think?"

"I'm thinking all that money I pay for identity theft protection is a waste." Diggle shook his head and blew out a low whistle. "Damn."

"What do you think of her?" Oliver pressed, sneaking another peek at Felicity. The events of the night were visibly wearing on her. It looked like Felicity was having a hard time staying upright on the couch.

Diggle crossed his arms over his chest, sensing that Oliver was up to something. "I think the real question is what are _you_ thinking, Oliver?"

"She's clearly gifted, Diggle. We could use someone like that when we're out in the field...and to help us track down Merlyn."

"This is assuming that she's telling the truth."

"You don't believe her story?"

"She's not exactly an innocent damsel in distress. She did use us, Oliver," Diggle pointed out.

"She needed help and had no one else to turn to," Oliver countered. "It's not like we haven't done worse at one point or another. Besides, she knew beforehand that I was The Arrow. She could've led with that and forced my hand by threatening to tell the police about me if we didn't help her. Not only did she not do that, but she helped us dodge them altogether."

"Okay, let's say her intentions were honorable," Diggle proposed. "That girl has been through enough. She just got out of a really dangerous situation. We can't ask her to get involved in another one."

"Dig, you heard what she said. That Cooper guy is going to come after her. It's only a matter of time. At least if she's with us, we can protect her."

"Is this really about her or you seeking vengeance with Merlyn?"

"I would protect her either way," Oliver retorted, annoyed. Even if he didn't want to find and kill Merlyn, there was no way Oliver would leave Felicity to fend for herself. Not after everything she'd just told him. "All I'm saying is that if she's going to be around, why not let her use her skills?"

Diggle was already shaking his head. "You might want to give the girl a choice before making all of these grand plans."

"Um, excuse me," Felicity called to get their attention. "I don't mean to interrupt your whisper arguing, but I think I'm going to head out."

Oliver was confused. "What? Why?"

"Look, I really am grateful for all of your help-and for you not accidentally shooting me with one of your scary arrows-but I've been enough of an imposition. I think it's best if I go." She was quick to add, "And you don't have to worry. I promise not to tell anyone your secret. Exposing you was never my intention."

Oliver shot a pointed look to Diggle before asking, "Where are you going?"

"Probably back to my hotel."

"No, absolutely not," Oliver objected. "You can't be anywhere that Cooper might find you."

"I'll find another place then. I just..."

Oliver could tell that Felicity was trying to formulate another plan. She yawned once more and swayed. She wouldn't last much longer.

"You look dead on your feet," Diggle observed.

"Yeah, well, it's been a rough five years and a very long night," the blonde quipped.

The words were out of Oliver's mouth before he could even think about them. "You can stay at my place tonight." Both Diggle and Felicity stared at him in surprise. "It's the safest place for you right now. My sister's away at college. You can take her room."

"Thank you, Oliver, but-"

"Great, then it's settled. You're coming home with me. Diggle, can you please bring the car around?" He sent him a pleading look not to fight him on this.

"Right away, Mr. Queen," Diggle acquiesced, though his expression communicated something else. It wouldn't be the last time Oliver heard from his partner that this wasn't a good idea.

* * *

It took a few seconds for Felicity to realize where she was. The bed was one of the most comfortable she'd ever slept in. The silk sheets wrapped around her like a warm, sleek cocoon. She'd been out like a light as soon as her head had hit the pillow. Staying in Oliver Queen's multi-million-dollar loft, and wearing one of his shirts to bed, was not how she'd anticipated her night ending.

The ride over to Oliver's place felt quick-probably because she was too busy trying to stay awake rather than keep track of the time. The doorman and concierge pleasantly greeted them on their way in, though Felicity noticed them eyeing her knowingly. She got the feeling she wasn't the first woman Oliver Queen had brought back to his place late at night.

The loft was huge, but Oliver didn't waste time giving her the tour. He led her up a flight of stairs to the right and brought her to his sister Thea's room. It was nicer than her hotel room and larger than Felicity's entire studio apartment in Boston. The queen-sized, dark-cherry wooden bed was up against the left wall. The comforter was a girly floral pattern and topped with a bunch of throw pillows. Across the room was a small fireplace and seating area. To the right was what Felicity assumed was the bathroom.

"Wow," Felicity had muttered.

"I'll find you something to wear in my room."

"Oh, your sister doesn't wear pajamas?" the blonde had questioned, frowning. It seemed odd that a girl with billions of dollars at her disposal wouldn't at least have a nightgown. "Is she one of those nudists who likes to sleep in the buff?"

Oliver had chuckled softly and shook his head. "Thankfully, no. It's just that my sister is kind of on the skinny side. Not that you're fat," he was quick to correct. "You've just got more curves-" He shut his mouth abruptly and took a beat before continuing, "I'll bring you one of my shirts."

Suppressing a smile at how flustered he'd gotten, Felicity nodded in reply. Oliver returned a minute later and handed her a large white t-shirt with the Starling City Rockets logo on it.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Felicity shook her head. "Okay. If you change your mind, the kitchen is downstairs to the left. Help yourself."

"Thanks, Oliver."

"Sure."

"Not just for this, I mean." She gestured to the room and the shirt. "Thank you for what you did tonight. You saved my life."

"You're welcome." He'd touched her shoulder briefly before nodding at the bed. "Get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

Rolling over, Felicity checked the clock on the nightstand. She was shocked to see that it was almost noon. It was way past time to get up. She used the bathroom and found a bathrobe hanging on a hook on the door. Seeing as though her clothes from last night were missing and she couldn't simply walk around in Oliver's shirt, she put it on. He'd been right about Thea's size. The robe was a bit tight and just barely fell above Felicity's knees. It would have to do.

Oliver was in the kitchen sitting at the large counter, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Despite his late night, he'd gotten up early to go for a run and clear his head. He didn't bother waking up Felicity, figuring she could use the extra hours of sleep. He looked up when he heard her on the staircase. The sip of coffee he'd taken instantly dried in his mouth at the sight of her. He recognized Thea's robe, but it did little to cover Felicity's bare, toned legs. The top of the robe was slightly open, revealing his Rockets shirt that he lent her. Her glasses were back on, but her hair was down and loose. She was barely dressed, and she was still as beautiful as that night he'd met her at the club.

Oliver mentally berated himself. It was not the time to get distracted over such trivial things. He hardly knew Felicity, and they still had a lot to talk about. "Hey," he greeted after regaining control of his wayward thoughts.

"Good afternoon, I guess. I'm sorry I slept so late," she said a bit shyly. He was already dressed in a business suit, though his jacket was off. "I didn't realize the time."

"You needed the sleep. Want some coffee?"

"Yes, coffee would be good if I plan on functioning today." He made a move to get up when she halted him. "I can get it myself."

Oliver handed her the mug he'd left out for her and told her where to find the cream and sugar. He didn't know how she could stand it so sweet after seeing the three scoopfuls she'd added. He preferred his black. "The maid brought some muffins this morning if you're hungry."

"There aren't any nuts, right? I'm allergic." She dug into the box after he said no. Felicity loved blueberry, but the chocolate chip ones looked too scrumptious to pass up. She placed it on the plate left out and took a seat next to Oliver.

"Did you sleep alright?"

"Yes. So well, in fact, that I forgot where I was."

"Good."

A moment of awkward silence passed between them. Felicity picked at her muffin while Oliver fiddled with the paper. Everything had been so crazy the night before, neither knew quite how to proceed in the light of day.

"I didn't expect you to be a newspaper guy," Felicity blurted out, unable to take the silence. "Most people I know read the news online."

"I do that, too, but I don't know. Sometimes I like having something tangible."

"I can understand that. I still prefer print books. Can't beat the smell of fresh ink on the pages." She took another sip of her coffee. "Headed in to work?"

"I will be." He checked his phone, which had just pinged. Carrie had been texting him all morning. Oliver had already missed two meetings and was supposed to sign some paperwork for a new project.

"You don't have to wait around for me. I promise I'll be out of here as soon as I'm finished."

Oliver set his phone aside and met her gaze. "First, I'm the CEO. That means I can go into work at any time I want. Second, I'm not throwing you out, Felicity."

There was a knock on the door. Oliver got up to let Diggle in. He was carrying a garment bag that Oliver took. He walked back to Felicity and handed it to her. "I had my assistant get this for you. It should fit. Get dressed and Diggle's going to drive you to the hotel to get your things."

"Huh?" She wasn't following him.

"You'll be staying with me until we have a chance to figure things out." Oliver's phone started ringing.

"Do I even have a choice?" Felicity countered, a bit miffed that he hadn't asked her before deciding this.

He checked his phone and frowned. It was Carrie yet again. There was no way he could blow off the rest of his schedule today. "I'll be at QC for a bit. When I get back, we can talk."

Before Felicity could mutter another word in protest, Oliver had grabbed his suit jacket, briefcase, and was out the door. "I'm beginning to think he's not the best listener."

Diggle smiled. "We can leave when you're ready, Ms. Smoak."

Felicity stood in front of him. Without her heels, he truly did tower over her. "I've realized that in light of all the chaos last night that we haven't been properly introduced. Felicity Smoak-IT expert and potential fugitive. It's nice to meet you."

He took her outstretched hand. "John Diggle-bodyguard and partner in crime. It's nice to meet you, too."

* * *

Oliver had barely made it through his office door before Carrie was upon him. She was running down the list of the people he'd missed and the calls he would have to return. Oliver halted her, having heard enough.

"Just leave it on my desk," he instructed, taking a seat. "I'll get to it. How's the internal system?" That's what he was most worried about. The Brother Eye message had thankfully stopped playing, but his email was slow to start up.

"Mr. Palmer and his team are working on it, but they're having some trouble. I could reschedule the meeting you were supposed to have with them this morning. They can explain what's going on."

"Push that to tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" Carrie questioned. "It's been kind of crazy around here. People are freaking out. Perhaps we should send a company-wide memo?"

Oliver really didn't want to have a meeting with Ray Palmer today. The CTO was nice enough and a genius, but Oliver found it difficult to talk to him. Ray's mind was always moving faster than he could speak. Oliver was usually trying to comprehend Ray's last point just as he moved on to another one. He recognized the same quality in Felicity, though she seemed better at reining in her outbursts. At the thought of Felicity, something occurred to him.

"Carrie, I need you to have a guest pass made by tomorrow."

"Sure. Who's it for?"

"Felicity Smoak." If the QC team was still having trouble getting rid of the virus, why not bring the creator in to fix it? Felicity had mentioned her ability to alter it. She would probably know the best way to wipe it from the system for good and set up safeguards. He'd make sure to ask her about it tonight.

Carrie's pen halted. "The klutz from the club the other night?"

"She's not a klutz," Oliver reprimanded, not liking her catty tone. "It was an accident that was partly my fault."

"Why is she coming here?"

"She's an IT consultant. I'm going to have her take a look at the system."

Carrie inquired indignantly, "Is that who the dress was for this morning?"

"I also like the memo idea. I'll send you something in an hour. That will be all, Carrie," he dismissed. They were so not having that conversation.

Carrie smiled tightly and left his office. The abrupt clicking of her heels was a not-so-subtle sign that she was annoyed, but Oliver didn't care. Sometimes Carrie had the bad habit of overstepping boundaries. She was good at her job, so Oliver normally let it slide. Today, though, he wasn't having any of it.

Finally alone, Oliver looked over the status reports on his desk. He was glad that Brother Eye hadn't been able to get at any of QC's funds. That meant they could keep their donation obligation to Starling. Oliver could probably use another cup of coffee if he was going to stay awake while reading such dry information, but he really didn't want to call Carrie.

Once he read enough to understand what the problem was in their system, Oliver wrote a quick company-wide memo. Carrie was right that they needed to reassure employees that everything would be back on track soon. He'd just pushed send when Carrie buzzed in.

"I have Mr. Diggle on the line for you. He says it's urgent."

Oliver picked up the phone. "Diggle, what's up?

"We have a problem."

"Now what?" Oliver didn't think he could take any more surprises today.

"I took Felicity to the hotel. We were just about to leave when the SCPD came for her. They're taking her in for questioning."

Oliver was already out of his seat. "I'm on my way."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: How awesome was the Olicity in last night's episode?! It's going to be torture waiting another whole week. As for the twist at the end, I refuse to panic right now and will wait to see how the season plays out. But until then, here's the next chapter for you guys. Please read and tell me what you think. Thanks!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

The police station was bustling with activity. The phones rang off the hook, and officers came and went in a blur. One man the cops brought in started yelling and shoving at people despite being handcuffed. When he wouldn't calm down, the officer closest to him pulled out a taser. The unruly criminal spasmed like a Mexican jumping bean before dropping to the ground mere feet from Felicity.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. It wasn't a surprise that she was being brought in for questioning. This was a possibility Felicity had planned for, but planning and executing were two very different things. It was intimidating to be escorted through the precinct. People stared, no doubt trying to figure out what she was in for. It was the first time in her life-and that included when she was hacking into various companies' systems-that she actually felt like a legitimate criminal. Maybe she did deserve to be there after everything she'd done.

"Inside here, Ms. Smoak," Detective Lance directed.

Felicity's heart was pounding as she entered the "interview room." In her opinion, it was just a sugar-coated way of saying interrogation. There was a table and set of chairs. Immediately, Felicity's eyes went to the glass wall. The thought of someone watching them but remaining unseen seriously creeped her out.

"Please, take a seat."

"You know, I think I'd rather stand," Felicity replied, feeling her nerves getting the best of her.

In response, Detective Lance slammed the door. She sat down without protest.

"Not exactly a hardened criminal, are you?" he said while observing her.

Felicity placed her hands on the table and interlaced her fingers. It would keep them from tapping anxiously. "No, I'm not any kind of criminal."

"What do you call computer hacking?"

"A hobby?" she innocently answered before realizing it was probably the worst thing to say. "That I do not engage in." She winced at her own lameness. _Real smooth_.

"I got a whole mess of computer gobbly gook that I don't understand, but your companions say otherwise."

"I don't have any companions. I'm companion-less. I swear."

"My guys brought in three men last night. They're believed to be part of a cyber-terrorist group called Brother Eye. Sound familiar?"

"I might have heard of it on the news."

Detective Lance spread their mugshots out for her to look at, and Felicity did her best to keep her expression vague. "They've done quite a bit of damage over the last few years. Now they're facing a slew of civil and cyber felony charges. They didn't say much, but you want to know the one thing they all agreed on?" He didn't give her a chance to respond before continuing, "That it was you we should be looking into, Ms. Smoak."

"They're wrong."

"Are they? I've got to say that your record is clean. Then again, if you truly have the ability to hack into any database, unleash a destructive virus and pocket a truckload of cash without anyone the wiser, this paper-thin file I'm holding really doesn't mean much. You could make this say anything you want." He slammed it on the table, making her jump. "But there are other factors to consider. I find it interesting that you and the three suspects all graduated from MIT at the same time."

Felicity shrugged. "Lots of smart people have gone there."

"You were in the same classes."

"Lecture halls are pretty big."

"You were involved with one of the guy's roommates."

"That's ancient history."

"You just happen to be in Starling at the exact same time and staying in the exact same hotel. That can't be a coincidence. So, tell me, Ms. Smoak. What am I thinking?"

She bit her lip. Felicity had been hoping that her clean record would give her an advantage. Unfortunately, Detective Lance was a good investigator and wasn't letting any detail slide. She moved her hands under the table to hide the shaking. "I really don't know," she answered, stalling for time. Felicity wasn't sure if it was nerves or leftover exhaustion, but she was having a hard time remembering the story she'd conjured up. "I'm not an oracle, though that would be a pretty cool super power when you think about it."

"You're hiding something. If you're innocent, there's no reason not to tell me what you know. If you're lying, well, this can turn out very badly. But if you tell me the truth and cooperate, I might be able to get you a lighter sentence."

Before Felicity could reply, there was a knock on the door. Detective Lance huffed in annoyance and told whoever it was to come in.

"I'm sorry, Detective," the officer said, "but Oliver Queen is here. He said he knows the suspect and wants to have a word with you."

Detective Lance didn't look any happier about this turn of events. "Fine," he grumbled. "Let him in."

As soon as Oliver walked through the door, Felicity breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know how he was going to get her out of this, but she trusted him.

"Detective Lance," Oliver greeted. "Thank you for meeting with me. I don't know what you and Felicity were just discussing, but I hope I can clear a few things up."

He gestured to the empty chair by Felicity. "By all means, take a seat, Oliver. We'll make a party out of it."

"You okay?" Oliver murmured under his breath as he sat. The moment he walked in he could tell that she was nervous.

"I am now," Felicity whispered back.

"I must say this is a surprise. It's not every day the CEO of the company that was targeted comes in to defend the suspect."

"It would only be odd if Felicity was guilty, which she isn't," Oliver confidently declared. In the rush over to the precinct, he'd managed to come up with a cover story. Now it was a matter of selling it. Oliver hoped that Felicity would be able to play along and not give in to one of her nervous babbles.

"She has a personal connection to the perps and just happens to be present in Starling at the same time your company was hacked. How do you explain that?"

"Felicity and I are old friends."

"Really? I didn't realize you had women who were _just friends_ ," Detective Lance quipped. "How did you two meet?"

Felicity watched Oliver, just as curious to find out what he was going to say.

"We met in Las Vegas years ago. My dad let me accompany him on a business trip. Felicity's mom is a cocktail waitress, and she ended up being our server every night at the hotel bar. One night Felicity was there helping her out."

"So you became friends. Just like that?"

"My dad was laying into me about failing one of my math courses. Felicity's mom mentioned that she was a genius and could probably help me. It took a bit of convincing, but Felicity graciously agreed to tutor me."

"And you passed?"

"Actually, I still failed." He made a point to add, "But not as spectacularly as I would have if she hadn't helped me." Felicity made sure to smile and nod eagerly in agreement.

"What's her reason for being in Starling now?"

Oliver turned to Felicity. "You didn't tell him?" he asked, like it was so simple.

The blonde sent him a measured look. "I was just going to, but then you interrupted. Now that you're here, though, it would probably be better coming from you." Felicity had no idea where Oliver was going with all of this, but he'd done a pretty good job so far. If she attempted to say something now, she'd probably screw it all up.

Oliver took the lead once more. "I asked Felicity if she could carve some time out of her busy schedule in Boston and come evaluate QC's security system. We were experiencing some problems before the cyber attack even occurred."

"So it's a coincidence that her old acquaintances showed up simultaneously."

"No. There's definitely a reason." His voice took on a softer, more somber tone. As an added effect, he placed his hand atop Felicity's to portray some intimacy. Detective Lance zeroed in on the gesture, like Oliver had hoped. "Felicity really doesn't like talking about it, but in the interest of full disclosure I have to bring it up. I don't know if one of the suspects told you that Felicity used to date a friend of his in college."

"Might've mentioned it."

"Well, that boyfriend-"

"Cooper Seldon," Felicity interjected, trying very hard not to be distracted by the fact that Oliver was touching her. She was getting that tingling feeling like at the club all over again.

"He wasn't exactly happy with the way things ended between them," Oliver pressed on. "Just recently he reached out to her again."

"But I wanted nothing to do with him," she added. Cooper being an ass was the one part of the story she could describe perfectly. Felicity hadn't expected to have Oliver Queen vouching for her, but it was better than the original explanation she'd concocted. It gave Felicity much more to work with, and a new backstory was already unraveling in her head. "Cooper was being aggressive, and I needed some time away. So when Oliver asked me to come to Starling, I accepted his offer. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of mentioning my trip to Cooper. He's got sort of a grudge against Corporate America and guys like Oliver, so that's probably why QC was targeted. As a way to get back at me."

"So you're implying that your ex-boyfriend is really the person behind Brother Eye."

"I don't know for sure, but it's a strong possibility. It would also explain the whole hotel thing. He could've easily found out where I was staying." She'd taken precautions with that, as well. Felicity purposefully checked in at a different time than the guys and made sure to steer clear of any cameras that could record her with them.

Detective Lance silently scrutinized them. He was probably searching for more ways to poke holes in their story. It felt like forever before he finally said, "All right. That's it for now. Just don't go skipping town just yet. This investigation isn't finished."

"Okay." They all stood.

Detective Lance's expression softened for a moment. "If you think your ex-boyfriend is a threat, I can assign a couple of my officers to keep an eye on you."

"Thank you, Detective, but that won't be necessary. Felicity will be staying with me from now on. My own personal security will take care of her."

"It's nice to see that you've taken a real interest in her safety." Detective Lance turned to Felicity. "Trust me, when it comes to Oliver, that's not always the case." With that parting shot, he let the door slam behind him.

Oliver's expression remained blank as his body tensed. Felicity could tell that the detective's words had hurt him. She knew all about Oliver's involvement with his daughters Laurel and Sara. Many of the articles she'd found about Oliver's disappearance on the Queen's Gambit relayed the scandal of his involvement with the younger Lance daughter despite his relationship with the older one.

"Hey," Felicity said quietly. When he finally turned to face her, Felicity impulsively threw her arms around him.

The hug completely took Oliver by surprise. It wasn't very often that anyone dared invade his personal space. It took a few seconds for him to respond. Tentatively, he placed a hand on her back. "What's this for?"

"A thank you for saving me. Again," she murmured. "I really didn't see myself fitting in at Guantanamo Bay."

"Don't worry, Felicity, they don't send blondes there."

"I dye it, actually." She pulled away and pointed a stern finger at him. "I keep your secret."

Oliver shook his head, grinning. "Come on, let's get out of here."

* * *

It was a relief to be back at the loft. Felicity sat curled up on the couch with a hot mug of tea in her hands. The huge fireplace was on in the living room, which added to the calming effect. It was the first time Felicity got to truly take it all in. There was a modern feel to the decor with its neutral coloring and wide open space. The only furniture present was the long kitchen table in the dining area next to the kitchen and the couches in the living room. Regardless of the lack of color and decoration, it was still better than any of the bachelor pads Brother Eye had occupied. The view also couldn't be beat.

"Are you okay?" Diggle inquired, sitting on the couch across from her.

"I think so. There's been a lot to take in, you know."

"I get it. But Oliver said you held your own today."

Felicity snorted. "He's giving me too much credit. I probably would be in a cell right now if it wasn't for him. Thanks for calling him."

"It's what we do. We look out for each other."

"I'm beginning to see that."

Oliver's heavy footsteps could be heard on the stairs. He'd changed out of his work suit into a pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt. It was the most at ease she'd seen him, and yet he still managed to look ruggedly handsome. The shirt clung to his defined muscles in all of the right places, leaving little to the imagination. Felicity forced herself to look away before she started drooling like some swooning adolescent.

"Did you guys eat?"

"We were waiting for you," Diggle replied. He'd gone to Big Belly Burger to get dinner, which was now spread out across the coffee table.

Oliver gestured for them to dig in while he went to the kitchen to grab a water. Afterward, he sat down next to Diggle. He was glad to see that Felicity's appetite remained intact. She bit into her hamburger and let out a small groan.

"I have to say that it's kind of comforting to know that whatever city you go to, Big Belly Burger is always going to taste like Big Belly Burger."

Diggle chuckled at that. "You mean full of grease and salt."

She placed a hand to her mouth. "I thought those were the secret ingredients."

Oliver listened as Felicity and Dig made small talk. He was trying to figure out the best way to broach the subject of her working with them. Felicity was much more at ease now than earlier, and he hated to put her on the spot again. Unfortunately, both their problems remained at large. It wouldn't be long before they were forced to face them once more.

There was no right way to do this. Oliver would have to bite the bullet. "Felicity," Oliver said, "what did you think of what I said earlier about you visiting QC?"

"I think it was a smart cover story. Why?"

"QC's IT team is having trouble fully restoring our system. They'd like to have it restored by Monday, and I was hoping that you might consider coming in for real tomorrow to help them out."

"Of course. I'd be happy to." It was the least Felicity could do to repay him for his kindness. The computer nerd in her also wouldn't mind getting a chance to play with Oliver's equipment. Felicity nearly choked on her burger as the naughty thought popped into her head. She didn't want to get her hands on Oliver's equipment. Well, she did but it wasn't like that.

 _Shut up, brain_ , Felicity commanded to herself. Oliver and Diggle were already studying her, and the last thing she needed was for them to question why she'd turned as red as a cherry in the middle of their serious conversation. She was going to see QC's advanced technology. That was it.

Oliver exchanged a look with Diggle. "There's something else. We've been impressed with everything you've done and told us so far. As you know, we have our own network at Verdant that we use to aid us in our investigations. Diggle and I do what we can to protect Starling, but the truth is our skills in that area are limited."

"You want me to help you," Felicity interpreted.

"Yes, but it's more than just catching common criminals." Oliver had discussed this with Diggle, and his partner was adamant that Oliver tell Felicity exactly what she would be getting into. Oliver didn't disagree. "We're trying to take down Malcolm Merlyn."

"The man who destroyed The Glades."

"It's a little more personal than that." It took Oliver a second to rein in his anger. Felicity was strong but had a gentler nature. He didn't want to intimidate her. "Merlyn killed my mother."

"I read that she'd passed in the earthquake. I'm so sorry."

"No," Oliver said, shaking his head. "It wasn't the quake. That's just what I told everyone. The truth is both my parents knew about the earthquake. Merlyn called it the 'Undertaking.' I believe my father was looking for a way to stop it, which is why the Queen's Gambit was sabotaged. Merlyn then threatened my mother for years, so she'd go along with his plan.

"After I uncovered the plot, I questioned her as The Arrow. She told me everything she knew. I was going to try to stop it, but I think the guilt was too much for her. She anonymously tipped off the police, which resulted in Merlyn figuring it out and moving up the timetable of his plan. Destroying The Glades wasn't enough, though. He wanted to get back at my mother for her betrayal, so he killed her."

"Does Merlyn know you're The Arrow?"

"No. We've been trying for months to track him down with no success. It's like he's gone completely off the grid," Oliver explained. "Felicity, you know what it takes to make things disappear. If anyone can cut through the noise and track him down, it'd be you."

Felicity was silent for a moment, taking it all in. "What if I say no?"

"I'm not Cooper, Felicity." He wanted to make that clear and assuage her fears. "You have a choice. What we do and how we live...it's dangerous. I won't force you into anything. But you should also know that I _will_ protect you from Cooper, Merlyn and anyone else. You have my word."

Felicity looked between Oliver and Diggle before staring at her half-eaten hamburger. She wasn't that hungry anymore. "I...I need some time to think about it." For five years she'd been dragged around by Cooper, jumping from one horrible situation to the next. Felicity appreciated that Oliver was offering her a choice. She just wasn't sure it was the right one.

"Okay." Admittedly, Oliver was disappointed that she wasn't jumping at the chance to work with them. He understood her trepidation, however. What he was asking of her was no small thing.

"And I would be staying here, with you?"

"Yes. It's the best way I can protect you until Cooper is found. It'll also throw suspicion off of you with Detective Lance." Oliver sensed that Felicity was uncomfortable depending on him for so much and he added, "I'll pay you for your work at QC." At least she could be earning something of her own.

"I have money. Not stolen," the blonde quickly clarified. "I always donated my share to charity." Felicity figured if she couldn't give the money back to the companies without creating suspicion, then giving it to a good cause was the next best option.

"I'm paying you for your expertise, Felicity. It has to be an equal partnership. That part's nonnegotiable."

"What about rent?"

Oliver shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

"I can't just live here for free, Oliver. It doesn't feel right."

"Felicity, we already told Detective Lance that you're staying with me as a friend. Friends don't pay rent when they're a guest, especially since I own this loft outright." She looked like she was about to protest again so Oliver proposed, "If you do decide to become part of our team, consider your help in our mission as payment. Sound fair?"

"Okay," Felicity finally agreed. She could live with that. "If you don't mind, I'm going to turn in early." Felicity had some big decisions to make. She wondered if this was how Oliver felt all of the time as The Arrow. Like one single choice, good or bad, could cause a ripple effect in everyone around him. It felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. She'd been strong enough to bear the burden of taking down Brother Eye thus far. Now that that part of her life was nearly over, what Felicity really had to decide was if she had anything left to offer.

* * *

The next morning, Felicity got up early to accompany Oliver to Queen Consolidated. She chose to wear one of her nicer work dresses. It was a rich blue with long sleeves and a peplum cut at the waist. After pulling up in front of the building, Diggle got out to open Oliver's door. Felicity slid across the backseat and followed him out.

Looking up, Felicity was in awe. "Whoa." She'd only ever seen the building from afar. Up close, it towered over the neighboring structures with its long frame and sleek paneling. "It must take forever to wash all of those windows." She nervously readjusted her glasses. None of the companies she'd consulted for even came close to the size and scale of QC. Felicity knew it was a ridiculous thought, considering how many major corporations she'd been able to breach with her super virus.

Oliver led her inside and to the front desk, where she was given a guest pass. "You've got full access, so you shouldn't have a problem getting around," he informed her.

"Where exactly will we be going?"

"There's a conference room next to my office. We'll be meeting with the IT team there in ten minutes."

"Great," Felicity muttered as they waited for the elevator.

"Don't be nervous," Oliver said knowingly. She shook her head like she wasn't, but the biting of the lip gave her away.

Finally, the elevator doors opened. Oliver pressed the button for the top floor and tried to get the doors closed when another man rushed on.

"Man, that was close." He pushed the button for the fourteenth floor. The second he noticed Felicity his grin of relief formed into a cocky leer. "Where you headed, sweetie?"

Irked, Oliver answered for her, "The executive floor." The guy's expression immediately dropped, which gave Oliver a thrill of satisfaction.

"Oh, Mr. Queen, I didn't see you there."

Oliver remained silent, enjoying watching him squirm.

"Great weather we're having this week, right?"

"I don't know," he curtly replied. "I heard it might rain later today."

"Oh. Yeah. Bummer," he stuttered. When they reached his floor, the guy practically ran off of the elevator.

"You do realize you almost gave that poor guy a heart attack," Felicity told him. "You can be kind of scary when you want."

"Maybe next time he'll treat my female employees with a little more respect."

"How very chivalrous of you," the blonde teased.

"Oh yeah, I'm a real white knight." Oliver let her get off the elevator first and then took the lead through the double doors to his assistant's area.

Carrie was already standing to greet him. Since it was a Saturday, Oliver hadn't expected her to be in. He'd told her as much, but Carrie was dedicated to her job. If Oliver was working this weekend, she would be, too. "Good morning, Oliver. Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes. One black for me and the other with cream and three sugars for Miss Smoak."

"Excuse me?"

He stepped aside to reveal Felicity, who'd been too busy staring at the giant office to pay attention. At the sound of her name, Felicity looked over at them. She nearly took a step back at the redhead's intense glare. It was obvious that she'd been annoyed with Felicity at the club because of the stain debacle, but Felicity hadn't expected her to hold a grudge. It only took seconds for Felicity to figure out the problem, since Carrie was suspiciously all smiles again when she had Oliver's full attention.

"Carrie, you remember Felicity Smoak. Felicity, this is my executive assistant Carrie Cutter."

"It's nice to formally meet you," Felicity responded, offering her hand like an olive branch.

Carrie barely shook it as she gave Felicity the once-over before declaring in an overly-bright voice that she'd get their coffee.

"Well, she's delightful."

Oliver shrugged and directed her into his office. The conference room, as he said, was next to it. There were already four men sitting down, talking.

"Is that the entire team?"

"It's the CTO and his top technicians."

"Oh, frack," she whispered to herself. When Oliver had mentioned her meeting with his IT team, she didn't think he'd meant the guys at the very top. Almost instantly she'd recognized Ray Palmer. The SmartWatches he'd developed were practically legendary.

"Here you are." Carrie's high-pitched voice jolted Felicity out of her internal meltdown. She added much more quietly, "Try not to spill it this time."

Felicity stared at the coffee and contemplated taking a sip. With her luck, Oliver's assistant probably poisoned it. It seemed like everyone was out to get her.

"You ready?" Oliver inquired.

Taking a deep breath, Felicity centered herself. She could totally do this. It was her creation that had them stumped, after all. There was no reason she should feel lesser than them. If Felicity could digitally erase her criminal involvement with a high-profile cyber-terrorist group run by her ass of an ex-boyfriend who she effectively set up, then she could surely handle one measly meeting. "Let's do this."

* * *

In between reading proposals and returning emails, Oliver checked his watch. It had been about five hours since Felicity had gone off with Ray and the IT team to work on the system. They must've done something right, because their internal network was running smoothly once again. Oliver had stayed in the initial meeting for only ten minutes before he realized that Felicity no longer needed him. The more intense the tech talk, the more confident she became. Oliver had to bite back a grin at the way the guys had been staring at her, dumbfounded, as she told them exactly what they needed to do to reboot the system. All of it sounded like gibberish to his own ears. He learned to understand Chinese in less time.

Carrie buzzed in, "Oliver, would you like me to order you lunch?"

"Get enough for two," he replied when he saw Diggle come through the door and close it behind him.

"How's your day going?"

"Busy but boring. You?"

"I spoke to my contact at Glades Memorial. He said that the trucks being targeted were carrying medical-grade opiates. There's talk of the Chinese Triad being involved in the hijackings. No concrete evidence, but it's a lead."

"Good. We'll do some reconnaissance tonight and see if we can narrow it down further."

"Speaking of, has Felicity given you an answer yet?"

Sighing, Oliver rubbed his hands over his eyes. "No, not yet." It had been in the back of his mind all day.

"Clock's ticking, Oliver."

"I know, Diggle," Oliver bit out. He'd expected Felicity to say something this morning during breakfast. Instead, nothing. Not even an acknowledgement of his offer. Patience was not one of Oliver's virtues.

"Oliver," came Carrie's voice once more. "Miss Smoak is back. Want me to tell her to wait?"

"No, send her in." Felicity was grinning from ear to ear when she entered. Oliver took that as a good sign. "How'd it go?"

"Oh my God, it was so awesome!" Felicity gushed. "Ray let me hook into the mainframe. I swear I've only dreamed of touching his equipment." Realizing the wrongness of what she said-she really needed to rethink using that phrase-Felicity hastily clarified, "I mean, not his _equipment_ equipment. What I meant was QC's equipment that Ray just happens to be in charge of. Anyway, your system is back and better than ever."

"I've noticed. Have you eaten lunch? I can have Carrie add to my order."

"Actually, I just came from the cafeteria. Have you ever eaten in there? It's pretty great. There's this huge latte machine and if you push a button, it makes this pattern on your foam-"

"Yes, I know about the cafeteria."

She smiled sheepishly. "Oh, sure. Of course you would, since you run the company and all."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, Felicity."

"Your assistant hates me, but other than that it's been great. I have to say, I could get used to Corporate America. If only Cooper could hear me now. He'd totally freak," she gleefully declared.

It was the perfect segue for Oliver. "Now that you mention Cooper, have you thought about what we discussed? Not to pressure you, Felicity, but time is of the essence."

Felicity took the seat in front of his desk. "Yes, I have. I'll help you find Merlyn while taking down Cooper, but that's it. Then I want to finally have the life of a normal IT girl. That's my offer. Take it or leave it."

"Okay," Oliver agreed. Her offer was fair enough. He stood and held his hand out to her, which she tentatively took. "Welcome to the team. If everything is all set here, we can head out."

"Where are we going?"

"It's time you saw the other part of my world."

* * *

They were back at Verdant. It was odd to see it so empty during the day. Felicity had become accustomed to the loud music and packed crowds. They crossed the dance floor and went down another hallway that led to a secured door. Oliver punched in a code on the keypad, and it popped open a second later.

Felicity stared at the long staircase that led into the darkness. "This isn't the part where you say you'll kill me if I ever reveal your secret identity, is it?"

"That goes without saying."

She eyed him skeptically. It seemed like Oliver was joking, but it was hard to tell with him. He flipped a switch near the railing and motioned for her to go ahead. _It's now or never._ Felicity took the lead and descended the stairs. When she got to the bottom, her mouth dropped open in awe. It was dark and dank despite the florescent lights and filled with equipment. Some of it for sparring while displays held arrows and other weapons.

"So this is The Arrow Cave."

"We don't call it that," Oliver said from behind her.

"Was that van your designated Arrow Mobile?" she teased.

"Stop."

Grinning, she walked over to the glass case that held The Arrow suit and bow. Felicity ran her fingers along the limbs and bow string. "Cool." Glancing to the right, she noticed a table set up with a few computer monitors. "Do you mind?"

"Go ahead." Oliver watched as she took a seat and started typing away. Felicity must've been in her element, because she didn't speak for a few minutes. Oliver looked to Diggle, who shrugged back as if to say "let her do her thing."

Finally she declared, "No wonder you need my help. This setup...it literally hurts me in my soul."

"That bad?" Diggle questioned.

"This system looks like it's from the eighties." Felicity spun in her chair to face them. "And not the good part of the eighties, like Madonna and, well, leg warmers."

"How long would it take you to fix it?"

"A few hours to make some upgrades, but a serious overhaul will take me a few days. I might even need something with more processing power."

"Let Diggle know, and he'll get it for you. Until then, we've got a bit of a situation. The FEMA trucks with emergency medical supplies for Glades Memorial are being hijacked. We need to figure out when the next delivery is going to be made and make sure it gets there safely."

"I'll see what I can do." She was just about to whip back around in her chair when something caught her eye. It looked like a tall pull-up bar but with odd rungs. "What is that?"

"A salmon ladder. It's for working out," Diggle explained. "You do pull-ups and then hook the bar up into the next level."

Felicity's eyes widened. "Yeah, pull-ups were never my thing. Pretty sure I would crack my skull on that, too."

"It's not for you. Don't worry," Diggle reassured her. "But now that you'll be working with us, it wouldn't hurt for you to learn some self-defense. Starling City is a lot rougher than what you're used to. I'd sleep better knowing you can handle yourself-at least a little bit."

"Thanks, Diggle, but I probably couldn't even take down one of your arms." When he chuckled, she added, "Just saying."

"We'll teach you a few basics as a precaution," Oliver agreed. "You won't be in the field, so I doubt you'll ever have to use them."

"Yay," Felicity muttered with as much enthusiasm as a kid at the doctor's office. She swiveled in her chair, eager to return to a world she fully understood. Stretching her fingers, Felicity dove into the network. Once she was finished with these upgrades, the bad guys wouldn't stand a chance.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, w** ** **hat an episode of _Arrow_ tonight! I'm so ready for Olicity as a power couple. **I'm updating a little bit early this week because I've got a long workday tomorrow. Hope you enjoy this next chapter and please take the time to review. I love reading your comments!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"Make a hard right...now straight...another right," Felicity directed as her eyes scanned the tracer program. Oliver was chasing down a drug dealer. A sting had gone down earlier, which resulted in a shootout. The dealer would've gotten away if Oliver hadn't arrived on the scene. He'd recognized the criminal and told Felicity the name so she could hack into the guy's cell phone and track him.

"Oliver, he's straight ahead of you."

"I see him."

"Diggle," Felicity said into the comms, "where are you?"

"Just rounded up the last guy that almost escaped. Oliver, you need backup?"

"No, I've got this."

Tapping into the traffic cams on the other monitors, Felicity watched as Oliver blew out one of the tires on the drug dealer's stolen vehicle. The guy swerved and crashed into a set of parked cars. Oliver was off his bike and heading toward the car. The man kicked his door open and fell to the ground, bloodied and shaken. There was a gun in his hand, which had Felicity nervously biting her lip.

Oliver raised his bow. "Barren Nite, you have failed this city." Seconds later, an arrow shot through the air and into the man's chest.

Felicity's eyes widened. "Oliver, did you just...is he dead?" She'd heard that the vigilante wasn't shy about killing, but she had yet to see Oliver take someone out permanently since she'd joined the team a week ago.

"It's a tranq arrow. He'll be out until the police come."

"Oliver, you shot him in the chest."

"It's not a fatal wound."

She breathed a sigh of relief. That had looked like a close one. "Are you guys coming back?"

"Did anything else come over the police scanner?"

"Nothing serious."

"Then yes, we're heading back."

Felicity turned off her comm and walked over to the large touch-screen monitor she'd set up. In addition to upgrading Oliver's system, Felicity had created a database so that they could keep track of all the criminals they had put away and who still needed to be apprehended. She found Barren Nite's profile and grinned as she crossed him off the list. Just last week, they'd managed to stop the Triad. It felt good to be using her skills to stop criminal activity rather than engage in it. She was glad that she'd agreed to join Oliver's team, even if it was only temporary.

The decision hadn't been so clear-cut a week ago. Being out of Brother Eye gave her the freedom to admit how she really felt. The determination it took to simply survive and make it through one more day had taken a toll. Although Felicity admired what Oliver was doing, she'd felt exhausted by the prospect of joining someone else's crusade yet again. But as much as Felicity wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, she couldn't fully let her guard down. Cooper was out there and probably gunning for her. If Felicity truly wanted to cross the finish line and put all of this behind her, then she needed to team up with Oliver. It was only fair that she return the favor and help him track down Malcolm Merlyn.

Ultimately, it was the sincerity in Oliver's voice as he vowed to protect her that had her convinced. All Brother Eye had ever done was take from her-her talent, her trust, her choice, her life. Oliver didn't just need her; he was offering her something in return. Felicity couldn't remember the last time she'd ever believed someone could keep her safe. With Oliver, her instincts were saying that she could trust him. Because of that, she was willing to take a chance.

Felicity heard the guys before she saw them. She was learning that the way they lumbered down the stairs was usually a good indicator of their moods. Tonight they were steady in their footsteps. There was no great rush, as their job was done.

"Police picked up Nite," Felicity informed them once they'd reached the bottom of the stairs.

"That's one down," Diggle commented as he shrugged off his jacket. He winced in pain.

"Diggle, are you okay?"

"A bullet grazed my arm. It's nothing serious."

Felicity went to get the first-aid kit. It had been her second night working with them that she'd realized the importance of knowing its location. Oliver and Diggle were tough, but they weren't invincible.

"How's the facial recognition software running?" Oliver asked. "Any hits?"

It was another feature Felicity added to the system. She'd programmed it to alert them if either Merlyn or Cooper popped up. "Nothing yet."

Oliver gave a curt nod before putting his bow away. Felicity could see that he was frustrated, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. She'd been gathering as much information as she could about Merlyn in the meantime, hoping to find some clue as to how and where he could've disappeared.

"Why don't you turn in for the night? We can start fresh tomorrow."

Felicity looked up from cleaning Diggle's wound. "You're not going home?"

"Oliver Queen needs to make an appearance at the club for a bit. It keeps the suspicion at bay when The Arrow has been out all night patrolling."

"Right."

"You know," Diggle interjected. "I've been meaning to tell you how it weirds me out to no end the way you refer to yourself in the third person like that."

Felicity smiled as Oliver rolled his eyes. "The dual identities must get confusing."

Diggle snorted. "You have no idea."

* * *

Felicity had finished towel drying her hair when she heard a knock on the front door. After returning to the loft, she'd decided to take a hot bath and must've lost track of the time. According to the clock on the wall, it was almost midnight.

 _Who the heck could that be at this hour?_ Oliver hadn't mentioned that he was expecting company, especially so late. Either he would've told her or probably have come home with her. The knocking got louder, causing a sense of panic to overwhelm Felicity. What if it wasn't a friend of Oliver's? What if it was Cooper?

It couldn't be possible. Felicity had made sure that all of her accounts and personal information were locked down. If anyone breached her firewalls, she would instantly know about it. And it's not like she'd been traipsing all over town. The only places she frequented were the loft, Verdant and QC. Not to mention that the security in Oliver's building was top notch. Oliver had gone so far as to alert the front desk to be on the lookout for Cooper. Even if he used a fake name, they would be able to identify Cooper immediately by his picture. Still, that little tiny voice of warning nagged at her.

Sighing, Felicity grabbed her bathrobe and went downstairs. Whoever was at the door had no intention of going away. Felicity glanced around the room, looking for anything that could pass for a decent weapon. Being The Arrow, Oliver had to have something hidden. She made a mental note to ask him about that later-assuming there would be a later for her. Considering her present predicament, Felicity decided that she wouldn't make a peep of protest the next time Diggle and Oliver got on her case about learning self-defense.

Finally, Felicity settled on a butter knife. A steak knife probably would've been a better choice, but the thought of mortally wounding someone, even Cooper, and having their blood spill everywhere made her want to throw up. She just needed to hurt them enough to make an escape. With her hand behind her back, Felicity opened the door slowly. A tall, dark-haired man stood on the other side.

Instantly, Felicity exhaled in relief. The man was Tommy Merlyn. Felicity had never met him, but she knew that he was Oliver's best friend. Oliver also told her that Tommy hadn't been aware of his father's plans. Despite the family connection, Tommy was nothing like Malcolm. The tension in her body eased a fraction.

Tommy stared at her as if in shock, taking in her bathrobe and wet hair. "Oh, hi. I didn't realize Oliver had company. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"He doesn't. I mean, you're not interrupting anything because Oliver's not here. Not that if he was here you'd be interrupting anything anyway. Something would have to be going on between Oliver and I for that to happen, which it isn't." Felicity could feel her face becoming more flushed by the second. "We're just friends," she finished, snapping her jaw shut tight. She didn't need to dig the hole any deeper.

"I'm sorry, then. I didn't mean to imply anything. It's just that I've known Oliver a long time and...nevermind." Tommy waved the thought away and held out his hand. "I'm being rude. I'm Tommy Merlyn."

"I know who you are." She shook his hand. "Felicity Smoak."

"Nice to meet you, Felicity. Do you mind if I come in for a sec?"

"Uh, sure." Felicity stepped aside to let him enter. Discreetly, she placed the butter knife down on the side table where Oliver usually deposited the mail.

"I've been busy reforming my family's company, so I haven't seen him in a week."

"Oh. Do you usually drop by to see him so late?"

Tommy laughed. "Oliver and I have always kept odd hours. Sometimes I forget that most people are in bed by the time we're ready to go out. Not that we've had much time to party lately. Truth be told, it's been harder and harder to drag Oliver out these days." He eyed her curiously before continuing, "I would've called him before dropping by, but I thought he would try to make an excuse to get out of going to Verdant. I figured a sneak attack would be my best bet."

"Actually, he's a step ahead of you. He's at Verdant tonight."

"And he left a beautiful woman like you at home?" Tommy shook his head. "I'm going to have to have a chat with him."

Felicity smiled, a little flustered at the compliment and being put on the spot. "It's been a hectic week. I needed a night in."

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how do you know Oliver?"

Felicity tried to keep a straight face. She hated lying. "We're old friends."

"Really? Because as long as I've known Oliver, I don't recall him mentioning you-no offense. Did you meet in college?"

"It's okay," she said. "I went to MIT. We met before that while he was on a business trip with his father. We kept in touch. I live in Boston."

Tommy nodded. "It must've been hard for you when the Queen's Gambit went missing, especially with you already living so far away." His voice was steady, yet Felicity detected an underlying sadness.

"Yes, I was devastated." She felt like the worst person in the world for lying about Oliver's disappearance. For his family and friends, the pain was real. "I'm glad he's back now, though. He deserves a second chance at life." That part she did mean.

"I agree. So what brings you to Starling?"

Tommy was very friendly, but Felicity was well aware that he was pumping her for information. If his initial reaction when she answered the door was any indication, Tommy was utterly shocked by the fact that she was staying with Oliver. Felicity could understand his confusion. It would seem odd that Oliver wouldn't tell his childhood friend about her, especially if she and Oliver were supposed to be so close.

"I'm an IT consultant. Oliver asked me to come and help QC recover after the cyber attack."

"How long will you be staying?"

"I'm not quite sure yet. As long as he-uh, QC needs me."

"Well, the three of us should hang out while you're in town. The mayor is holding a charity event next week to promote the reconstruction of The Glades. Oliver and I will be attending. You should come."

"Oh, I-I don't know," Felicity stuttered, trying to formulate a valid excuse. "I don't want to intrude. Knowing Oliver, he probably already has a date lined up."

Tommy shook his head. "I doubt it. He hasn't mentioned anyone."

"I'm sure there are going to be a lot of important people there. I'm no one. Well, not no one. I am _someone_ ," Felicity began to ramble. She was grasping at straws. "Just not someone anyone would expect to attend, especially with Oliver." She was getting nowhere fast.

"I'll admit there will be some snobs there, but not everyone is bad. The food is supposed to be amazing, and the drinks are free. You can't beat that," Tommy joked. "Just stick by us, and you'll be fine. I know Oliver will make sure you have a good time." Before she could protest once more, he ardently declared, "Felicity, I am not taking no for an answer. Oliver isn't here, but he'd agree with me. Every woman deserves a night on the town. You're coming."

Felicity had lost control of the situation in record time. If she objected any harder, she would appear rude and slightly suspicious. Keeping a low profile was her main goal until Cooper and Tommy's father were brought to justice. That was now shot to hell. Felicity didn't want to know what Oliver was going to say about Tommy inviting her and practically thrusting her front and center into his life.

Tommy moved toward the door. "I should get to Verdant and make sure Oliver doesn't decide to cut out early. It was nice meeting you, Felicity. Looking forward to next week." And with a wink, he was gone.

* * *

Knocking back a shot, Oliver checked his watch. He would give himself one more hour before he headed home. He'd made the usual rounds in the club-talking to frequent patrons and shamelessly flirting with a few women-before settling at the main bar downstairs. It would ensure that as many people as possible would see him. No more than five feet away, Diggle stood scanning the crowd. He was probably just as eager to leave.

A couple more women approached him. They batted their lashes, stuck out their chests and laughed at everything Oliver said in hopes that he would fall madly in love with them. It was the image and money they wanted, not the man. Oliver had learned that long before he'd been stuck on the island. The difference now was that he didn't want to play the game.

As the buxom brunette in front of him babbled on, Oliver's thoughts drifted to Felicity. She was a talker-the complete opposite of Oliver-but her rambles weren't necessarily a sign of ignorance. They were the complete opposite. She'd only been working with Oliver for a week, but it was long enough for him to figure out that her brain was constantly going a mile a minute. She was either rambling because she was stressed or she was trying to work something out. Either way, the end result was something Oliver needed to hear. He respected that.

Oliver couldn't help wishing he'd returned to the loft with her. Once it was decided that Felicity would be staying with him, Oliver had the maid make up the guest room for her. He was curious to know what she did when he wasn't home, which was often. Any time they spent together was in the Foundry or her occasional visit to QC to check in with IT. He was out the door early in the morning and by the time they got home at night, they were both so tired they went straight to bed.

"Oliver," Tommy called, making his way through the crowd.

Oliver eagerly excused himself from the woman to greet him. "Hey, I didn't know you'd be here tonight."

"I could say the same for you. I thought for sure you'd be spending the night at home with Felicity."

His comment stopped Oliver in his tracks. He stared at his friend, confused. "What?"

"I stopped by the loft with the intention of dragging you to Verdant. Felicity answered and told me you were already here."

"Well, you found me," Oliver replied with a tight smile. He noticed Diggle, who was standing behind Tommy, raise his eyebrow. Apparently, he knew what was coming, too.

"Oh no, buddy, you're not getting off that easy," Tommy declared with a hand on his shoulder. "First, I see you flirting with her at the club a couple of weeks ago. Now, I find out she's this friend you've had for years. Oh, and she's staying with you. What have you done with Oliver Queen?"

"We weren't flirting, just talking. I am capable of having a female friend, you know," Oliver laughed, attempting to lighten the conversation.

Tommy wasn't buying it. "Like who?"

"I'm friends with Laurel."

"Doesn't count because you used to date."

"There was..." Oliver trailed off, wracking his brain for a name and coming up empty.

"My point exactly. I'm not saying it's not possible. I'm just saying it's not probable. Not when said friend is a smoakin' hot blonde with a great butt and killer legs. And I literally mean smoakin' hot because Felicity Smoak...get it. Smoakin' hot..." Furthering his point, Tommy added, "You always were an ass-man."

All trace of humor was gone from Oliver. Absently, his fists clenched at his sides. "Tommy, cool it. Felicity is just a friend and if you ever mention her... _assets_ again, I'm going to lay you out."

Tommy's eyes searched his. Whatever he saw there made him back off and put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, sorry. I wasn't trying to disrespect her. I'm merely pointing out the obvious and examining the facts."

"The only fact worth noting is that Felicity is a good friend who's helping me take care of QC. I didn't think it was that big a deal."

"Got it. Loud and clear," Tommy acknowledged with a grin Oliver couldn't quite comprehend. "Though, I suppose now wouldn't be the best time to tell you that I invited her to the mayor's charity event with us next week, would it?"

"You what?" Oliver exclaimed. Tommy was just full of damn surprises tonight.

"She might be here on business, but you could at least show the girl a good time when she's off the clock."

"I have been."

"Yes, that's why she's at home and you're here by yourself," Tommy countered.

Oliver chose his words carefully. "Big events like that aren't really Felicity's scene."

"She looked pretty eager to me. I can't go back on my word. I promised Felicity she could come, Oliver. Don't disappoint her."

Oliver narrowed his eyes at his best friend. The reaction he was describing didn't sound like Felicity at all. He wondered, yet again, what Tommy was up to. Oliver looked to Diggle, who didn't seem at all concerned. The slight upward tip to the corner of his mouth was the only clue that he was hiding a smirk.

"I'll tell you what. If you take Felicity, then I'll take Laurel." He patted Oliver's chest. "It'll simply be a pair of friends enjoying a nice night of wining and dining that will most likely end with the two of us writing big, fat checks. No pressure. What do you say?" Oliver sighed in response, causing Tommy's grin to widen. "Good man."

* * *

With a loud grunt, Felicity hit the mat hard. "Ow." She'd told Diggle that she wanted to learn some of the self-defense moves he'd been talking about. The only problem was that there wasn't much defending of the self in her technique. Diggle was blatantly holding back, and he was still kicking her ass. Felicity had a newfound respect for what he and Oliver did every night.

Diggle held out a hand to pull her up. "The trick is to keep your weight _evenly_ distributed."

Rubbing her back, Felicity countered, "I thought the point was to avoid getting into fights."

"Like I said, Starling City isn't the kind of place where you can talk yourself out of trouble."

"Unfortunately," the blonde muttered, grabbing her water bottle and taking a swig. Diggle handed her a towel. "Thanks."

"Want to try again?"

"Do I want to or do I have to?" Felicity quipped, already putting the towel and water bottle back down. She walked to the center of the mat to face Diggle. He demonstrated the move once more before coming at her like an attacker.

"Good," Diggle instructed when she successfully executed the move. Then, catching her off guard, he came at her again.

She hit the mat for what felt like the hundredth time. Her butt was definitely going to bruise after today. "Damn it," Felicity huffed.

"Remember what I told you about staying in the moment. Just because you make contact, doesn't mean you stop."

"Oops?" She shrugged innocently from her spot on the floor.

Diggle grinned good-naturedly. "It will be a very big oops."

"What the...?" Oliver trailed off as he entered the Foundry. He was in full Arrow gear.

Felicity tipped her head back to look at him. His upside-down form loomed over her. "Hey."

"I'm trying to teach Felicity to defend herself."

"As you can see, I was just about to make my move," Felicity declared, humorously pointing to her sprawled out form. "I have him right where I want him."

"She's lethal," Diggle played along.

Oliver shook his head at them, amused. "I'll bet." He watched as Diggle helped her up. Felicity was wearing tight black yoga pants and a bright pink workout top. Oliver was unwittingly reminded of Tommy's comments last night. Oliver did his best not to stare at the way the material clung to her curves.

"How'd it go out there?" Felicity asked.

"Strung up a few lowlifes. The usual. Any developments down here?"

"I hacked into Merlyn's bank records. The program is scanning for any suspicious transactions. If I can flag something, it'll give me a decent starting point."

"Good. Diggle, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure." He looked to Felicity and pointed at the sparring dummy. "Keep practicing those punches I taught you."

Felicity offered him a mock salute. "Yes, Sir."

Diggle, putting his shirt back on, followed Oliver off to the side. "What's up?"

"I tracked down Maddox tonight." The slimy, oversized scumbag was known in The Glades for selling stolen merchandise. One of his specialties was high-end technology, which would most certainly attract someone like Cooper. "I questioned him"-though interrogated was what was implied-"about any new clients. He mentioned someone matching Cooper's description."

"He's still in Starling, then."

"Everything he bought was untraceable. Plus, he's armed," Oliver said more quietly. "Maddox said he was looking to get even with someone."

"Shouldn't you be telling this to Felicity?"

"She knows she's in danger. There's no need to scare her even more. I just want you to be aware." They glanced over at Felicity as she practiced her punches. So far, the sparring dummy was winning.

"I've got her back," Diggle promised before leaving to set up some more precautions with Oliver's security team.

Oliver approached Felicity. "Plant your feet." He came up behind her, placing his hands on her waist, and used his foot to move her legs farther apart. "Strong foundation equals stronger punch."

Felicity felt her breath catch, acutely aware of Oliver's touch in a way she hadn't been of Diggle's. She was even more self-conscious training in front of him. Oliver frequently worked out in the Foundry-which was both a blessing and a curse as she tried to focus on her work-demonstrating his incredible physicality. Felicity embarrassingly paled in comparison.

"Try again," Oliver directed.

Casting her jitters aside, Felicity focused on his advice. She drew strength from her core, where Oliver's hands remained planted, and landed a solid punch to the dummy. "Oh," she muttered in surprise.

"Much better," Oliver said in approval. "You're small. Your best bet will be finding ways to use your opponent's strength against him."

She smiled up at him. "Thanks."

It was then that Oliver realized he was still touching her. He promptly let go and took a step back. "So, uh, I've been meaning to talk to you about Tommy," he said, all business again. "He told me he stopped by the loft last night."

"Yes, he did. Did he tell you about the charity event?" Felicity cautiously asked, attempting to sense his mood.

"Yes."

"Before you say anything, I didn't ask him to invite me. It was his idea, and I tried to get out of it. He wouldn't take no for an answer."

"I figured," Oliver replied.

"I don't want you to feel like I'm invading your personal life. I understand that we're partners, and that's it."

"Felicity, you're not invading anything. It was my decision to bring you into the fold," Oliver assured her. "Honestly, it was bound to happen sooner or later." Though Oliver hadn't expected it to come up so soon.

"So what are we going to do?"

"Do you want to go?"

"I am supposed to be keeping a low profile," Felicity reasoned. "Showing up at a major event with you is probably the equivalent of sending up a flare. On the other hand, it might be good to be seen in public together to keep the authorities at bay." She bit her lip before asking, "Do you want me to go?"

It was a loaded question for Oliver. He and Felicity had agreed to be partners and at least appear friendly when they were out in public. As Felicity pointed out, going to the charity event together would take things to a whole new level. They could tell everyone they were just friends, but Felicity showing up on his arm almost guaranteed a write-up in the gossip columns the next day.

Her safety was also an issue with Cooper running around Starling plotting his revenge. He had to know she'd set him up by now, so would it really make a difference if Felicity started showing her face around town? Maybe her connection to Oliver and being in the public eye would give her more leverage, as she'd said, when they did eventually take him down.

Weighing the options, Oliver decided, "We can go."

Felicity's eyes widened. "Really?"

Despite her initial concern, Oliver detected a hint of excitement in her voice. Felicity wasn't able to get out much and, after everything she'd told him about Cooper, it probably wasn't much different than the time she spent with Brother Eye. Oliver was beginning to think Tommy was right. Felicity deserved a break.

"Yes," Oliver confirmed. "It'll be...well, I can't say these things are usually fun, but they're interesting. Either way, we'll make a night of it."

"Thank you," Felicity beamed, more accepting of the situation now that Oliver had given it the okay. "What the heck am I going to wear?" she murmured to herself. All she had was work dresses and a few cocktail ones. Definitely not any gowns, as there hadn't ever been a need for her to get so dressed up.

"Pick out whatever you want. I'll take care of it," he informed her.

Felicity was already shaking her head in protest. "No, Oliver, I can't."

"Felicity, you have to wear something couture and it's not like I'll go bankrupt," he explained, giving her a reassuring grin. "Besides, we're going as partners. Totally platonic. Just think of it as a business expense." He patted her shoulder and went to change out of his Arrow suit before she could fight him on it further.

Felicity's eyes followed his retreating form. She sighed longingly. "There's nothing platonic about couture."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys! I always appreciate your comments. Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy the first half of Olicity's evening out. Happy reading, and let me know what you think!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

The creep actually thought he could get away. Minutes before Oliver had caught the lowlife gang member trying to sell drugs to a couple of minors. He'd shot the pills right out of the man's hands. Now he was scaling a fire escape in hot pursuit. The guy reached the top and hoisted himself onto the roof. Oliver was right behind him. He'd just raised his bow when his comm beeped.

"What?" he answered, keeping an eye on his target.

" _Oliver, where are you?"_ Diggle asked.

"I'm still in the Glades, near Thurber and Henson. Why?"

" _Felicity wanted me to remind you that Tommy and Laurel will be at the loft in an hour to pick you guys up_."

The mayor's charity event was tonight. It had been Tommy's idea that they share a limo. Normally, Oliver would suggest taking his own car-that way he and Felicity could leave whenever they wanted-but Tommy had been insistent. Oliver got the feeling he didn't want to be completely alone with Laurel. Despite Tommy asking her to be his date, the two had yet to fully work out their issues.

"I'm tying up a few loose ends." The gang member, a quick bastard, was almost to the other side of the roof when Oliver released his arrow. The cables wrapped around the guy, and he fell to the ground. The man swore colorfully.

" _You should head home soon to get ready._ "

"It'll take me ten minutes tops to take a shower and put on my tux." Felicity, like any other woman, needed more prep time. It's why Diggle was working the computers tonight instead of being out in the field with him.

" _Don't want you to be late for your big date._ "

Oliver groaned. "Diggle, it's not a date." The truth was, he'd been waiting for Diggle to say something to that effect. When Oliver initially told him about taking Felicity to the charity event, Diggle barely said a word. There was, however, no mistaking his satisfied smile. He'd been questioning Oliver's single status more than usual lately. It's why Oliver had been adamant that Diggle take tonight off as his bodyguard. He didn't need the extra pressure, especially since he and Felicity had agreed this outing would be purely platonic.

" _Whatever you say, man,_ " he replied, not buying it.

"Why do I sense a lecture coming on?" He walked over to the swearing gang member and punched him in the face for good measure. That would keep him stationary until the cops came.

" _You've been spending a lot of time underneath that hood the last three months._ "

"Keeps my ears warm," he said while making his way off of the roof.

" _And you made this decision to, uh, avoid entanglements?_ "

"For their protection. The people who get close to me get hurt." Oliver could hear Diggle's long sigh on the other end. "What's the problem? Do you think I'm losing my grip?"

" _No, it's just the opposite_ _really. You seem calm. Scary calm. I get that things haven't ended well with certain people in your life-_ "

"Sara's dead. Laurel and I are over. Helena's still got a vendetta against her crime-boss father. McKenna couldn't leave Starling fast enough. Not to mention that my mother was murdered mere months ago, Diggle. I'd say that's an understatement."

" _Your mother made her own decisions, Oliver. That wasn't your fault. The rest is in the past. I'm talking about you now_ ," he stated, not backing down. " _You hood up. You go home or to QC and then you repeat. That's not much of a life._ "

"That's because the life I'm leading for myself right now doesn't leave much room for an actual life. And I don't need one."

" _Wow. That's a pretty bleak future you plan on spending with no one._ "

"I'm used to isolation."

" _And that is exactly what worries me. You've been home for over a year, Oliver, and I don't think you've left that island yet._ "

Oliver mounted his motorcycle and revved the engine in frustration. "What do you want from me, Dig?"

" _Nothing. You don't owe me anything, Oliver, but you do owe it to yourself. Felicity isn't the only one who deserves a break. You need this as much as she does_ ," Diggle advised. " _So, please, at least try to have some fun tonight. Don't be afraid to live in the moment._ "

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." Oliver pulled off his hood and mask before throwing on his leather jacket and helmet. Despite shutting off his comm, Diggle's words continued to echo in Oliver's mind on the way home. It wasn't like he'd been dreading tonight.

Well, that wasn't totally true. Oliver hadn't been too keen on attending even before Tommy had invited Felicity. He would've needed to find a date, adding another thing to juggle in his already chaotic life. There was no lack of admirers that frequented Verdant to choose from, but Oliver couldn't take just anyone. The opposite of the club scene, the charity event would be the height of sophistication. Carrie had been dropping hints for weeks about wanting to attend, but she was a last resort. As her boss, Oliver didn't want to blur the professional lines.

Felicity, on the other hand, was already becoming rooted in his life. They'd only known each other for a couple of weeks, but he had revealed more of himself to her than any other woman. Despite having to pretend they have a history, it would be a nice change to be out with someone who shared in his secret. They'd be wearing masks to the public, but not necessarily with each other. It was a partnership in every sense of the word.

After parking his bike and using the balcony entrance, Oliver returned to the loft with a half hour to spare. Felicity's bedroom door was shut, which probably meant she wasn't done getting ready. As he'd told Diggle, Oliver managed to shower and dress in record time. He went downstairs to collect the tickets and wait for Felicity.

Finally, Oliver heard her bedroom door open. He'd just finished replying to Tommy's text-they were on their way over-when he looked up. His heart skipped a beat as he took in Felicity, a graceful vision in pink at the top of the stairs. Oliver's eyes followed her the entire way down. The long gown accentuated her flat stomach and the curve of her hips. The neckline plunged, baring a hint of cleavage while still leaving something to the imagination.

Felicity smiled as she met him at the bottom. Up close, he noticed that her hair was curled and pinned to the side over her shoulder. She was obviously wearing makeup but not so much that it distracted from her natural beauty. His eyes, of their own accord, traveled to her lips. She was wearing her signature pink lipstick. Oliver didn't know how it was possible, but she looked even more stunning than the first night they'd met.

"I'm sorry I took so long. My hair was being temperamental."

It took a second for him to find his voice. "You're right on time."

Felicity gestured to the dress. "Is this okay?" She spun around for good measure, revealing an open back.

Oliver's heart gave another stutter. Diggle had been wrong in his warning. If Oliver wasn't careful tonight, he'd be living too much in the moment. _Just partners. Platonic partners_ , he reminded himself. Clearing his throat, Oliver responded, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said, shyly glancing away. "You clean up nicely yourself, Mr. Queen."

Remembering the last piece of the puzzle, Oliver reached into his tux jacket. He pulled out a black velvet box. "I see you're already wearing jewelry, but perhaps you'd like to try these instead." He opened the box to reveal a platinum diamond necklace and matching earrings.

Felicity's eyes widened as they sparkled in the light. "Oh my God. They're gorgeous."

"Now don't get too excited," he lightly cautioned. "They're on loan from the jewelers."

"I can really wear these?" She was having a difficult time accepting it.

"Yes, that is why I got them," Oliver teased.

"How much are they worth?" Felicity then quickly interjected, "Actually, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

Oliver handed her the box. "Put them on."

The blonde walked over to the mirror by the door and swapped her earrings for the ones Oliver had given her. When she struggled with the necklace, Oliver approached her. "May I?" Felicity nodded as he took the necklace from her. There was no avoiding the way his fingers grazed her skin. He thought he noticed a shiver run through her and met her gaze in the mirror.

They looked like quite the pair. Oliver was every bit the dashing billionaire playboy and CEO in his crisp, designer tux. Felicity's head barely reached Oliver's chin, but she held her own next to him. The elegant way she carried herself, along with the glamorous gown and glistening diamonds against her porcelain skin, would make anyone believe that she belonged by his side. Neither was able to look away until a knock sounded on the door.

Felicity took a moment to collect herself while Oliver went to greet Tommy and Laurel. She wasn't sure what had just happened, but it left her heart racing. It was silly, but all day she'd felt like a teenager counting down to prom. Actually, the last time she'd dressed up like this was her senior prom. Her date hadn't been half as handsome as Oliver. And Felicity definitely hadn't worn millions of dollars worth of jewelry. The way Oliver had looked at her when she first came down had been surreal enough. She hadn't been expecting the earrings or the necklace and appreciated his thoughtfulness.

Getting a grip, Felicity reminded herself that all these details were ultimately for show. She needed to stop focusing on the blazing trail Oliver's fingers had left on her skin. This was supposed to be a friendly outing, and there was no room for confusion.

"Laurel," Oliver said, breaking Felicity out of her trance, "I'd like you to meet my friend, Felicity Smoak. Felicity, this is Laurel Lance."

The two women shook hands. Though their smiles were friendly, they were discretely sizing each other up. Felicity was curious to meet the woman who once held Oliver's heart. She wasn't surprised that he'd fallen for her. Laurel had that gorgeous model look with her bright, grayish-green eyes, pronounced cheekbones and slender figure. Her long brown hair was down and curled, and she wore a dark blue dress.

Laurel stared back at her inquisitively, no doubt trying to figure out exactly what role Felicity had played in Oliver's life. She imagined Laurel had many of the same questions as Tommy. Sure enough, the brunette asked, "So, Tommy told me you guys met on a business trip years ago."

"Yeah, we met through our parents. Oliver's dad mentioned he was flunking his math elective, and my mom volunteered my services as a tutor."

"Felicity was actually a sophomore in high school at the time." Oliver felt it was important to mention. He, technically, didn't owe Laurel an explanation since they were no longer a couple. But Oliver also didn't want Laurel thinking badly of Felicity and assuming they'd been sneaking around while he and Laurel were together. He could sense that she was trying to piece together the timeline.

"She was helping you with college math?" Laurel replied, surprised.

Felicity answered, "Yes. I was going to attend MIT in the fall."

"That means you graduated when you were..." Tommy trailed off, trying to figure it out.

"I was nineteen."

"She also graduated with her master's degree," Oliver couldn't help but add. He'd done his homework on Felicity after they'd met. Learning how much she'd accomplished at such a young age had pretty much solidified his decision to have her join his team.

"Okay, wow. I'm a CEO, and I officially feel inferior," Tommy jokingly declared.

"Now you know why I practically begged her to help out at QC." There was a hint of pride in Oliver's voice. Regardless of the circumstances that had led Felicity to him, he was lucky to have her.

"When you're done at QC, feel free to stop by Merlyn Global. We've got a great corner office overlooking the park that I think you'd like."

"That sounds suspiciously like you're trying to bribe my consultant into working for you."

"'Bribe' is such an ugly word," Tommy innocently replied. "Recruit is more like it."

"Yeah right." Oliver rolled his eyes, muttering that the gloves were really coming off. Tommy laughed in response.

Feeling a blush coming on, Felicity turned to Laurel. She looked a bit out of place and wanted to bring her back into the conversation. "Laurel, I understand you're an assistant district attorney?"

"Yes. I was just promoted recently."

"Cool. I took a law class once, although it really wasn't my thing," Felicity mused. "I'm a terrible liar. Not to say that lawyers lie. Well, some do. But I hear you're really good at your job, so lying is probably not necessary."

"Uh, thanks."

Oliver bit back a grin. In true Felicity fashion, her mouth had run away with her. "We should probably go," he suggested.

Tommy and Laurel went to get the elevator while Felicity grabbed her shawl and purse. Once she was sure they were out of earshot, she whispered to Oliver, "She totally thinks we had a thing while you guys were dating, doesn't she? And then I went and said lawyers are liars...she probably hates me."

"Laurel doesn't hate you, Felicity," Oliver assured her. "She barely even knows you. That'll all change by the end of the night. I promise." He motioned for her to go ahead of him while he locked the door.

Felicity gave him a half-hearted smile and walked to join Tommy and Laurel. "Or it could get worse," she murmured to herself.

* * *

The limo ride to the convention center took a little longer than expected due to traffic. Oliver, Tommy and Laurel, in the meantime, were talking about one of the buildings they'd passed. Laurel was prosecuting the owner, who failed to keep the conditions to code. One of the floors collapsed, resulting in many employee injuries and a few deaths. Felicity listened quietly, both not knowing much about the inner workings of Starling and trying to avoid another awkward exchange with Laurel.

Tommy was shaking his head in disbelief. "You've got to put that guy away, Laurel."

"Oh, I fully intend to. The evidence is mounting against him. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Any other interesting cases?" Oliver inquired. Laurel had unknowingly given him some leads a few times before. When Starling's biggest criminals thought they had their defense in the bag, Oliver tried to step in to reveal their dirty little secrets.

"There is one that the district attorney has asked me to help him with. You'll be very familiar with it, Oliver," Laurel said. "Brother Eye."

Almost instantly, Oliver felt Felicity tense beside him. "Yes, they targeted QC."

"The DA is eager to bring them down. It's a very long list of charges with lots of high-profile victims. It's the type of case that could make his career."

"Well, I hope he puts them away for a very long time."

"I was looking over the files today. Felicity, I saw your name in there," Laurel commented. "My father talked to you. You know the suspects."

"They were also at MIT, but I wouldn't say I 'know' them. Not anymore," she said evenly, not expecting this sudden turn in conversation. Was there no escape?

"You gave my father another name. Cooper Seldon. We're having difficulty tracking him down. It's like his records have just disappeared."

Oliver was beginning to think that Felicity was right about Laurel being suspicious, but for an entirely different reason.

"You used to date him," Laurel persisted, "and had contact with him recently. Clearly, you know your way inside a computer. Any suggestions as to where we should look?"

Definitely suspicious, Oliver thought. He placed his hand on Felicity's arm, halting her before she could say anything. "If you've read the file, then you know her ex-boyfriend was targeting her as well."

"All the more reason why we should talk."

"She told your father everything she knows." An interrogation was the last thing Felicity needed tonight. He'd agreed to take her to this event so that she could forget Brother Eye for a little while. Felicity was doing a good job of keeping it together, but underneath the calm exterior he knew Laurel was upsetting her.

"Doesn't mean-"

"Laurel, she's not on trial," Oliver curtly interrupted. "Let's not ruin the evening before it starts."

The tension in the limo could be cut with a knife. Laurel, staring between him and Felicity, looked like she wanted to say something else. Oliver returned her determined gaze, not backing down. Felicity was grateful that Oliver was defending her, but also felt bad that she was the reason he and Laurel were suddenly at odds. They were supposed to be friends.

Tommy seemed equally confused by the exchange. Always the moderator, though, he pointed to the Rockets stadium as they passed by. "They rebuilt that a year before you came home," he stated, changing the subject. "Have you seen it yet, Oliver?"

"No, not yet." Oliver was thankful for the distraction, but the mere mention of the Rockets automatically made him think of Felicity in his t-shirt. That image was seared into his mind and didn't appear to be leaving anytime soon. Realizing he still had his hand on Felicity's arm, Oliver discreetly pulled away.

"We'll have to get tickets. Felicity, do you like baseball?" Tommy inquired.

"Um, I'm not opposed it. The only time I really watched was in college. My friends and I would place bets on who could correctly calculate the probability of the batter scoring a certain hit," she explained. "I won a lot of money and chocolate that weekend."

"Nice. I should have you with me the next time I place my bets," he joked. "Oliver, do you remember the last game we went to?"

"You mean the one where you choked on your hot dog and my dad had to give you the Heimlich?" It had been equal parts scary and hilarious. Robert Queen, the strong and decisive man that he was, hadn't hesitated. He sprung into action and saved Tommy's life. Since their seats were so close to the dugout, the chunk of hot dog came shooting out of Tommy's mouth and onto the field. It barely missed a cameraman. Oliver remembered feeling proud of his father that day. He'd been a hero.

"That's the one. Of course the girl I had a crush on at the time was sitting a few rows behind us. My face was red the entire game."

"It was better than blue," Oliver pointed out, feeling more at ease.

"That's true." Tommy turned to Laurel. "What about you?"

"The last game I went to was in high school. I was with my dad..." she trailed off, an underlying sadness in her voice. "...and Sara."

Another awkward silence followed. The limo couldn't have stopped at a better time. Tommy and Laurel were closer to the door, so they got out first. The press was lined up by the entrance. Their cameras flashed wildly at Tommy's appearance.

Oliver held Felicity back for a moment. "I'm sorry. I didn't know she would come at you like that. Sometimes Laurel can be like a dog with a bone."

Felicity wasn't entirely sure that's all that exchange was but let it slide. "Oliver, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known."

"Regardless, I don't want you worrying about that anymore tonight."

"I won't. I promise I'm fine." She smiled reassuringly.

"Okay. You ready?" Felicity nodded. "Good. Just smile, keep your head up and act as if you go to these things all the time."

Felicity touched the diamond necklace, still unable to comprehend that she was wearing something so exquisite. "Channel my inner Kate Middleton. Got it."

Oliver smirked and got out first. Felicity took his outstretched hand and stood by his side. The press was worked up into another frenzy within seconds. Oliver held out his arm for her to take and guided them to the entrance. The whole way reporters were shouting his name and asking about his date.

"This is insane," Felicity said under her breath. "How do you put up with it all the time?"

"Kind of used to it by now."

Oliver showed their tickets to the man by the door. They joined Tommy and Laurel at the top of the staircase and made their way to the large ballroom. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings. The dance floor was in the center of the room, surrounded by white-covered tables with elaborate centerpieces and name cards. Most guests were situated by the long bar to the left. An orchestra playing soft, classical music was positioned in front of the stage.

"Drinks?" Tommy suggested.

The perks of being two of the richest men in the room meant they didn't have to wait long at the bar. Oliver took his cue from Felicity and decided he'd go with red wine tonight. "Now I have just as much a chance as staining your dress as you do my suit," Oliver teased.

Felicity laughed despite the embarrassed blush she felt creeping onto her face. "I am never going to live that down, am I?"

"Definitely not."

Tommy raised his glass. "Let the ass kissing begin."

"Which one is the mayor?" Felicity questioned as she eyed the room. Everyone blended together in their expensive suits and gowns.

"The tall, older man over there talking to the woman in the long, poufy dress," Laurel politely pointed out. The tension she'd exhibited earlier in the limo seemed to be gone. Felicity wondered if Tommy had done the same as Oliver and pulled her aside for a talk.

"That's his wife." Taking a sip of his drink and smirking, Tommy added, "The woman in the red dress sitting a couple of tables over looking annoyed, that's his mistress."

Felicity's eyes widened at that. "Ooh, scandal."

Oliver shook his head. "It's the worst-kept secret in Starling, actually."

"Only half as bad as the fact that his wife is having an affair with a city councilman, who also has ties to the Italian mob," Laurel spoke up. "He'll probably launder some of the money that is raised tonight." The disgust in her voice was evident.

Felicity took another sip of her wine. Oliver and Diggle weren't kidding when they said this city was dark. It made Central City seem like Disneyland.

"Glad you came?" Oliver whispered in her ear after Tommy and Laurel went to chat with someone they knew.

"No wonder you favor the hood," she said so softly only Oliver could hear. "It would drive me crazy knowing how much these people are getting away with. Stealing from charity?" It was enough to make her blood boil.

"It has its perks," Oliver acknowledged. "You're a part of holding them accountable, too, now, Felicity."

"Yes, I am." She grinned and held up her glass. "Partners?"

He clinked their glasses in solidarity. "Partners."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for your reviews, guys! Here's the next chapter and let me know what you think.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Tommy hadn't been kidding about the food being excellent. Felicity felt like she'd eaten way more than she should've. The steak was so tender that all it took was a cut from her fork. Then the rich chocolate cake for dessert nearly put her into a sugar coma. Not that Felicity would expect anything less for Starling's elite.

The food wasn't the only observation she'd made throughout dinner. Their assigned table, only one over from the mayor's, was a mix of businessmen and city leaders. The topics discussed during dinner ranged from tax increases to the best vacation spots. Not once did they talk about the real purpose of the event.

Felicity, not having much to contribute to any of the topics, sat back and observed Oliver. Although he gave off an air of not having a care in the world, she could tell that he was listening intently to what the others were saying. The Arrow was always just beneath the surface.

Tommy, on the other hand, looked bored out of his mind. He whispered something to Laurel. When she smiled, he pushed his chair back and stood. "Well, ladies and gentleman, as much as I'd like to sit here and chat with you all night, I promised Miss Lance here a dance."

Another set of couples also excused themselves. The orchestra began to pick up the tempo in music now that dinner was finished and guests were congregating on the dance floor.

"Ah, I miss dancing," commented the older woman next to Felicity. She had a soft, soothing voice that reminded Felicity of her grandmother. The cane she'd used to hobble over to their table earlier hung off the back of her chair.

"I've always enjoyed it," Felicity said politely back.

"Mr. Queen, aren't you going to ask your lovely date to dance?"

"I value her feet too much to do that," Oliver charmingly replied. He turned to Felicity. "I'm not much of a dancer."

"I find that hard to believe." She leaned in so only he could hear her next words. "You're always so... _coordinated_."

"It's not the same."

"Hmm, looks like I could teach you a thing or two." There was a teasing challenge in her gaze.

Before Oliver could reply, they were interrupted by a tall, dark-skinned man with a British accent. "Oliver, it's good to see you."

"Walter." Oliver stood to greet him. "It's good to see you, too."

"It's been a while." The indirect reference to his mother's funeral hung in the air. "How have you been doing?"

"I'm okay," he answered, battling the overwhelming sadness he could feel creeping up on him. Most people meant well by offering their condolences but really it just served to reopen the wound. Walter was different, though. If anyone understood the loss, it was him. He'd been family.

"And Thea? How is she liking school?"

"It's been good for her to get away."

"I'm glad to hear that." Walter glanced at Felicity. "Who is this?"

"This is my good friend Felicity Smoak," Oliver introduced. "Felicity, this is Walter Steele. He's the CFO of Starling National Bank. He was also married to my mother."

Felicity shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"You as well, Ms. Smoak." He had a kind voice. "Mr. Palmer is seated at my table. When I saw you come in with Oliver, he told me that you are consulting at Queen Consolidated. He's been very impressed with your capabilities."

"Thank you. I try."

"I may be mistaken, but I could've sworn your name came up when I was CEO of QC. I was very involved in the recruitment process at the time. Companies are only as good as their employees, after all."

"The year I graduated from MIT someone from QC did contact me with an offer. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to accept at the time." It was yet another opportunity she'd had to sacrifice because of Cooper. Now that she knew Oliver, Felicity wondered how different her life would've been if she could've said yes. Would she and Oliver still have ended up crossing paths? She hoped so.

"Well, I'm glad that Oliver was able to achieve what we couldn't."

Sensing that they needed to talk in private, Felicity thanked Walter once more and excused herself to the ladies room. Oliver watched her leave, frowning when he noticed a few more pairs of hungry eyes following her exit. Among them was the mayor himself. Mayor Schultz was a slimy old bastard. Of course, Oliver still had to smile-through gritted teeth-and return the man's wave when he looked over at him.

"So the company is doing well?" Walter questioned Oliver, reclaiming his attention. "Because if you ever have any questions, I'd be more than happy to help. I know firsthand how challenging it can be, especially when you're first taking over."

"Thank you for the offer, Walter. I'm trying to get QC back on track. With all the bad publicity after the earthquake and then the cyber attack..."

"It's going to take some time, which is understandable," Walter stated. "Your mother, as you know, always wanted you to take your rightful place at the company. She had complete faith in you. I know you'll make her and your father proud."

Oliver, not trusting his voice, nodded in gratitude. When he'd first gotten back from the island, his mother and Walter had offered to make him vice president of QC. It couldn't have been further from what Oliver wanted at the time. He'd already started suiting up and patrolling the streets as The Arrow. Not only would QC take up most of his time, but it would make Oliver look too changed. Too responsible. His secret identity was dependent on the fact that people underestimated him. It was at the ribbon cutting for the Applied Sciences building, named after his father, that he pretended to be drunk and publicly declared he would never be able to take Robert Queen's place. It was a mission accomplished-his family had been sufficiently embarrassed-and he'd hated every moment of it.

His mother's death left him no choice. Queen Consolidated would've been ripe for a hostile takeover if he hadn't stepped in as CEO. The company was his family's legacy. His last connection to his parents. Oliver couldn't just let it go without a fight. The dread he'd once felt walking into his office was replaced with a sense of purpose and familiarity. Sometimes it was the only time he allowed himself to feel anything.

"I should go say a quick hello to the mayor. I've got to be leaving soon and can't avoid it all night." He patted Oliver's shoulder. "Don't be a stranger, son."

"I won't."

Oliver scanned the crowd but didn't see any sign of Felicity yet. He imagined that the line to the ladies room must've been long. It was usually out the door at these events. While he waited, Oliver circulated the room. He even brushed his annoyance aside to join Walter in talking to Mayor Schultz. He informed them of the relief efforts underway in The Glades and the SCPD's initiative to clean up the streets. It was a sales pitch by all accounts, and both he and Walter promised donations from their companies.

"Thank you. The city truly appreciates your generosity." The mayor couldn't help but add, "I trust that there will be no security breaches at QC with you in charge now, Oliver. There are no more spare earthquake machines lying around that have been overlooked?"

Oliver resisted the urge to clench his fists. The man was trying to get a rise out of him. Mayor Schultz had never cared much for his family, though he happily accepted their campaign contributions. "I can assure you the technology has been destroyed. I've seen to it personally."

"Excellent." He did a quick glance around the room. "Your date seems to have disappeared. I was hoping to meet the elegant young lady."

 _I bet you were_ , Oliver thought. "She stepped out for a moment."

"Well, be sure to bring her around before the night ends. I'd like to personally thank everyone in attendance."

The mayor was full of crap with that line. He'd been eyeing Felicity like a fresh piece of meat. There was no way in hell Oliver would let her anywhere near him. "Sure," Oliver easily lied and excused himself. He saw Tommy at the bar and joined him.

"How much did Mayor Schultz hit you up for?" his friend knowingly questioned.

"Plenty but I'd already spoken with the board of directors about making a donation. If Schultz wants to think it's because of him, let him. You?"

"Merlyn Global is doing the same." Tommy sipped his drink. "Of course he had to bring up my ass of a father beforehand. Nothing like trying to lay the guilt on thicker."

"He asked me if we had any spare earthquake machines lying around. He at least waited until after I agreed to give the money to bring it up."

Tommy shook his head. "The bastard."

"Where's Laurel?"

"Bathroom. She's probably trying to wash off the corruption from when Schultz kissed her hand. Where's Felicity?"

"Same."

"Let's hope they're getting along in there. I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't know Felicity was connected to the Brother Eye case when I told Laurel about her." He muttered, "Not that it was the only thing seeming to bother her."

"It's not your fault, Tommy," Oliver stated, choosing to ignore that last part. He and Laurel had agreed to be friends, but that didn't mean the old wounds were completely healed. It wasn't something Oliver wanted to think about tonight.

"Looks like there's nothing to worry about. Felicity is still alive." He pointed to where she stood on the other side of the dance floor. "Then again, you might have some competition."

Oliver saw that Felicity was in deep conversation with Ray Palmer. Seconds later, her serious expression melted away as he made her laugh. "We're just friends, Tommy," Oliver said automatically. The words sounded hollow to his own ears.

Tommy smirked and slapped his back. "Then her being friendly with Palmer should be no big deal. My bad."

Ray was saying something else to her. He then gestured to the dance floor. Felicity grinned politely as her eyes searched the room.

Oliver had already started walking as he absently said, "Tommy, I'll catch up with you later." He marched right up to the pair. "Felicity, there you are," Oliver smoothly interrupted, pretending not to notice Ray. "Time for a dance?" He held out his hand to her.

Felicity looked awkwardly between him and Ray. "Uh, sure." She took his hand, and Oliver pulled her closer to him.

"Hello, Oliver," Ray greeted pleasantly.

"Ray," Oliver finally acknowledged. "Walter said you were in attendance. Enjoying the evening?"

"Yes. I'm always eager to lend a hand-or money in this case-to a good cause." He glanced at Felicity, "I had actually asked Felicity here if she'd like to dance, but I see you've got that covered."

"She is my date for the evening."

"Of course. Well, enjoy the rest of your night." His politeness took on a more eager tone when he addressed Felicity. "Will you be in the office tomorrow, Felicity? I've got some new system plans I'd like your opinion on."

"I'll be there."

"Good." With a final nod to Oliver, Ray excused himself.

"What was that?" Felicity inquired as they made their way onto the dance floor.

"What?"

"I thought you said you don't dance."

"I thought you said you could teach me."

Felicity tilted her head and stared at Oliver, trying to figure him out. After leaving the ladies room, she'd searched for him. He'd been talking with the mayor at the time, and Felicity didn't want to interrupt. She had been about to go to the bar when Ray approached her. They talked for several minutes about some of his latest prototypes he was working on. Ray's eyes practically lit up when he went into inventor mode. When he did ask her to dance, Felicity had been surprised. She would've said yes under normal circumstances but wasn't sure, since she was there with Oliver, if it would be considered rude to accept.

Her decision was made for her when Oliver suddenly appeared. She'd been shocked that he asked her to dance but couldn't resist the offer. The situation got more uncomfortable after that. The way Oliver had said she was his date and brought her closer seemed almost possessive. She was probably over-analyzing the entire situation, but Felicity would be lying if she didn't admit his reaction gave her a little thrill. Ray, the nice guy that he was, had gotten whatever message Oliver was trying to send and had backed off. It was kind of surreal.

Oliver found a spot on the dance floor that wasn't as crowded. He pulled her closer, raised the hand that held Felicity's and put the other on the curve of her waist. Naturally, her free hand went to his shoulder.

"I probably could teach you to count off," Felicity informed him, "but I'll give you a break. How are you at swaying?"

"I think I can handle it."

"How did things go with the mayor? The conversation looked pretty tense there at the end."

"Fine." His voice sounded strained, but Felicity didn't push him on it.

"Walter seems nice," Felicity pressed on. She needed to keep talking or else her brain would go totally haywire from the feeling of his hands on her.

"He is," Oliver agreed. "He was a good friend of my dad's for many years. It was a few years after the Queen's Gambit sank that he married my mom."

"Were you okay with that?"

Oliver admitted, "It bothered me at first. But when I saw how happy he made her, I made peace with it. My mother deserved that after everything."

"And they were together until the end?"

"No. They got divorced last year, and Walter left the company. My mother was devastated, and for a while I was angry with him. That's until I learned about all the secrets she'd been keeping. I think Walter knew there was a part of her life she was hiding, and it put too big a strain on their relationship."

"How did your sister take it?"

"Walter made it clear that she could always come to him if she needed him, but it was still another loss."

"And I thought losing one father was tough," Felicity murmured.

Oliver didn't miss the sorrow in her voice. "Did your father pass, too?"

"No, worse. He, um...he abandoned my mom and me. I was so young that I barely remember him, but I do remember how much it hurt when he left."

Instinctively, Oliver pulled her closer to him. "I'm sorry."

Felicity could feel her eyes watering and blinked away the tears before they could fall. No matter what age she was, it still hurt to think about it. "It's ironic. My father couldn't get away from me fast enough, and Cooper could never let me go."

Oliver lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "Hey, neither one of those instances was your fault. They were both fools."

Felicity gave him a small smile in thanks before resting her head on his shoulder. Oliver's hand returned to her waist as his chin rested atop her head. The distance between them when they'd first started dancing was completely gone. Oliver was aware he should pull back but couldn't bring himself to break the connection. No one would be able to tell from looking at Felicity how much she'd suffered. There was a goodness in her that was innate. He'd noticed it the moment he met her. Felicity loved bright colors, constantly cracked jokes and wasn't afraid, even at the cost of her own life, to do what was right. Oliver knew she felt that Brother Eye had taken a lot from her-and she was probably right to an extent-but whatever hell she'd been put through, she was made stronger because of it.

The orchestra finished its song just as a soft chime rang through the room. Felicity reluctantly pulled away from Oliver. For a moment, she'd forgotten where they were. She could feel Oliver's eyes on her, but stared ahead at the stage. It hadn't been her intention to get so emotional. Felicity wasn't sure what it was about Oliver that made her want to suddenly open up. Despite their partnership, they barely knew each other. And yet, when he told her that her father and Cooper's actions weren't her fault, she believed him.

The mayor approached the stage and took his place behind the podium. The room fell silent.

"I hope you've all been enjoying your evening. It has been a very difficult year for Starling City."

That was putting it mildly, Oliver thought. Then again, turmoil was Starling's default setting.

"Our losses have been incalculable. Our grief unimaginable. But with the generous donations you people are making tonight, we will come back from this tragedy-"

Oliver stiffened when he felt that small, chilling feeling creep up the back of his neck. It was that indescribable sense that something was wrong. He took Felicity's arm and surveyed the room.

"Oliver, what's the matter?" she whispered.

"You have failed this city, Mr. Mayor," came a loud, booming voice.

Murmurs spread through the crowd as everyone turned to find the source.

"The Glades have descended into hell on your watch," the voice continued. "You swore to protect all the citizens of Starling. Not just the wealthy."

"Where is that coming from?" Felicity muttered.

The mayor smiled nervously. "I'm sorry about this, folks. I'm sure we'll have this sorted out in just a minute."

Oliver looked to the bar and saw two masked men standing on top. They hadn't been there moments before. The screaming started when the automatic rifles became visible in their hands.

"As far as we're concerned, you can join them in hell," one of the masked men shouted as the other opened fire.

The mayor was shot in the chest multiple times before collapsing to the ground. The room erupted into chaos as the police and security details present opened fire. Oliver grabbed Felicity and pulled her toward the kitchen entrance. He was just about to tell her to stay put when two more masked gunman were upon them. They must've snuck in through the back.

"Oliver," Felicity murmured, panicked, as they pointed their guns at them.

"If it isn't Oliver Queen. Can't say I'm surprised to see you sneaking out the back like the coward that you are," said the one on the left.

Protectively tugging Felicity behind him, Oliver faced them head on. "What do you want?"

"Just what was taken from us when your horrible family decided to play god," the man answered. "We are The Hoods, and we _will_ take this city back." He pointed the gun at Oliver's head. "Say hello to your mother for me."

Oliver didn't hesitate as he reached out to snap the wrist of the man aiming at him and punched him in the face. Quickly, he managed to push Felicity off to the side and onto the ground as the other man charged at him. Oliver blocked his blows, landing a few of his own, and swiped his gun before throwing him over one of the metal counters.

"What exactly happened to you on that island?

Turning around, gun raised, Oliver faced the first masked man. To Oliver's horror, he held a gun to Felicity's temple. His injured hand was curled around her waist, keeping her close.

"Let her go. Your problem is with me," Oliver said carefully. "It's not with her."

"Go ahead, rich boy, pull the trigger," the man taunted. "I'm not afraid to die. That's what happens when you've got nothing left to lose." He squeezed Felicity, causing her to whimper. "You, on the other hand..."

Felicity closed her eyes at the feeling of the cold barrel against her skin. She needed to remain calm and keep a clear head. That's what Diggle had told her. She went through the self-defense maneuvers he'd taught her, but none that she could remember dealt with having a gun pointed so close to her head. Felicity watched Oliver, recognizing that calculating look of his. If she could just distract the gunman in some way...glancing at the counter beside her, Felicity noticed a small skillet.

Slowly, she reached her hand over. Oliver's eyes caught the subtle movement, and he gave her a discreet nod. Once Felicity's fingers touched the handle, she gripped it firmly. The gunman was getting fidgety; it was now or never. With her right elbow, Felicity slammed him hard in the gut. The man bent forward, giving her the perfect opportunity to whack him in the head with the skillet. Dazed, the man's grip loosened just enough for her to get away.

Felicity launched herself to the floor near Oliver just as he fired the gun. The first bullet knocked the weapon out of his hand. The second bullet landed in his leg, causing the man to shout and fall to the ground. Oliver walked forward and knocked him out for good measure.

When he was sure they were no longer in danger, he knelt down in front of Felicity. "Are you okay?"

"I wasn't aware you knew how to use a gun," she breathed. "I mean, I hoped you could. But there was still that small chance-"

"Felicity," Oliver interrupted mid-babble, placing a hand on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

Checking her over, Oliver was relieved to see not so much as a scratch on her. She was shaking, but that was normal. A moment later, the kitchen doors opened and the SCPD came charging in. Oliver helped Felicity to her feet and held on to her in case her legs were unsteady.

"Mr. Queen. Ms. Smoak. We meet again," Detective Lance stated. Tommy and Laurel were trailing behind him.

Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. "My God, we were wondering what happened to you."

"We came in here to hide when we ran into these guys," Oliver said. "Did you catch the others?"

"My officers were able to bring them down before there were any more casualties." Staring at the unconscious bodies on the floor, "Looks like you were pretty busy yourselves."

"They called themselves The Hoods. They wanted revenge for what happened to The Glades."

"We gathered that much with them shooting the mayor and all."

Staring at the blood pooling on the floor from the wounded gunman, Felicity had to look away. Noticing her squeamishness, Oliver mentioned that he was going to take Felicity outside for some air.

"Fine. Just don't go anywhere. I'm going to need statements from the both of you."

"Sure."

"We'll give ours now and then join you," Tommy told him.

Oliver nodded and guided Felicity out of the kitchen and past the chaos in the ballroom. "Seriously, are you okay?"

"Yes. I just..." She thought of the way the mayor's lifeless body had crumpled. "I've never seen anyone die before."

"Sometimes these things happen." Oliver placed a hand on her shoulder. "I wish I could say that you get used to it, but you never do."

"I don't think you're supposed to. Otherwise, we'd be them." Felicity spared a glance at the ballroom. The paramedics were wheeling out the gunman that Oliver had shot. "So what are we going to tell Detective Lance?"

"The truth. I took them down-with your help." Oliver gave her an encouraging smile. "You held your own in there."

Felicity snorted. "Only after the guy managed to press a gun to my head."

"I thought the frying pan was a nice touch."

The blonde laughed softly and shook her head. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Diggle will be proud."

"Speaking of." Oliver waved his hand when he noticed Diggle making his way through the crowd.

"Are you guys all right? I saw the news and rushed over."

"We're okay. Two of the gunmen are dead. The other two are in custody."

"That's it?"

"I think so. We should look into it just in case."

"Well, let's get the two of you out of here."

"Felicity and I have to give statements."

"Oliver, are you sure Detective Lance won't be suspicious?" Felicity inquired. "It's not like you were wearing a mask when you took those guys out."

"It'll be fine. I'll tell him that I've trained with my security team as a precaution. Can't be too careful nowadays."

"Oliver," Tommy called. Oliver left Felicity with Diggle and met his best friend. "Detective Lance is ready for you guys."

"All right. Why don't you take Laurel home? My bodyguard is here. He'll take Felicity and I back when we're finished."

"Just when I think this city can't get any more messed up," Tommy scoffed. "Yet another disaster caused by my father."

Detecting the guilt in his voice, Oliver said, "This wasn't on you, Tommy."

"Maybe so. But why do I constantly feel like I'm the one paying the price?"

Ever since he'd gotten back from the island, Oliver had felt the same way. His parents had left quite a mess in their wake, and all Oliver had been trying to do was right their wrongs. Looking at Tommy, Oliver didn't know what to say. He was still searching for the answer himself.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for your comments, guys. Here's the next chapter. Happy reading and don't forget to review!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

The phone had been ringing off the hook all morning at QC. Members of the press wanted to be the first to get a quote from Oliver Queen about the traumatic attack by The Hoods the night before. Despite the mayor being slain, all the media seemed to care about was how the billionaire playboy and his date managed to survive a close encounter with the gunmen.

"You're quite the hero," Carrie had commented as she set down his coffee.

"It was just self-defense," Oliver had dismissed.

Carrie had shrugged and leaned forward. "Doesn't make it any less impressive."

"Have our PR department draft a short statement. I want it issued to the press in an hour." Oliver had hoped it would get the media off his back for at least a little while. It seemed to do the trick, because the barrage of phone calls immediately died down.

It was around noon that Diggle showed up at the office, newspapers in hand. He made sure to close the door behind him and placed the papers on Oliver's desk. Sorting through the headlines, Oliver couldn't help but cringe.

 **"Queen Trumps Gunmen _"_**

 ** _"_ Red Tuesday: Mayor Massacred, Gunmen Royally Flushed by Queen"**

 **"Billionaire Bests the Bloody Hoods"**

Oliver rubbed his hands over his face and shook his head. "Honestly, you'd think I took them all on single-handedly."

"Didn't you?"

"The police took down the other two men."

"Who, according to the papers, could've done even more damage if you hadn't stopped the rest of the guys in the kitchen. You did good, Oliver."

"That's not the problem. The problem is it's The Arrow's job to take on guys like this. Not Oliver Queen."

"You and Felicity were in danger. What other choice did you have?" Diggle challenged.

"If I had killed them, then nobody would've known that I'd gotten involved."

"So why didn't you?" When Oliver didn't answer right away, Diggle surmised, "Felicity."

It wasn't like Oliver hadn't killed before, especially when it came to protecting his identity. When he'd first arrived in Starling after the island, he and Tommy had been abducted by masked men. They wanted to know if Robert Queen had survived and if he'd told Oliver anything. With Tommy passed out, Oliver had fought back and killed them to protect his secret. He couldn't take a chance that they'd live and reveal his new fighting skills. It wasn't like they were upstanding citizens of society anyway. It was also the perfect opportunity to introduce The Arrow to the authorities. Oliver had said their rescuer was a masked man in a green hood. They'd thought he was crazy-probably traumatized from his time on the island-until Oliver had donned the suit and hit the streets for the first time.

It would've been just as easy to kill those men last night. It definitely would've saved him the headache of dealing with the media today and risking exposure. But it wasn't only Oliver who'd been threatened. Felicity had been with him, and he doubted she would've seen killing those men as a necessary evil. Oliver remembered the night she'd revealed her plan to take down Brother Eye. As much as she hated them, Felicity had asked him not to kill them. Oliver had to admit that ever since she'd joined the team, he'd been denying that violent impulse more and more.

"She doesn't need to see that," was all Oliver said.

"No, she doesn't," Diggle agreed. "There is, however, something you need to see." He picked up the _Starling City Post_ and flipped through a few pages, handing it to Oliver.

It was the gossip section. Sure enough, there was a picture of Felicity and him arriving at the charity event. Oliver scanned the write-up and frowned. "'Sources say this hot new couple have boarded the fast track of the L-Train and don't appear to be getting off anytime soon." Diggle snickered as Oliver finished reading. "Not only did they dance most of the night away in each other's arms, but sources close to the couple say they're already living together. It's no wonder Oliver Queen was so eager to take on The Hoods. Clearly, nobody messes with his leading lady and gets away with it.'"

"Very poetic." Diggle wasn't even trying to hide his amusement at this point.

"Who the hell are these mysterious 'sources'?" Oliver demanded, making air quotes. "And 'L-Train'? What garbage. Do they drug test at the _Post_?"

"Hey, at least it was bumped back to page four."

"This is ridiculous." It wasn't necessarily a surprise that they were in the gossip section. Oliver had sort of been expecting it when he'd agreed to take Felicity to the event. However, it wasn't like they'd been acting like a couple all night. Every time he'd introduced her to someone it had been as a friend. "Has Felicity seen this?"

"Here comes your chance to ask her," Diggle said as Felicity came barging into the office. "My guess is yes."

"I'm sorry, Oliver, I told her to wait," Carrie huffed, running after her.

"It's fine, Carrie."

Carrie shot Felicity a dirty look, to which Felicity felt compelled to glare annoyingly back. Once the door was closed, the blonde pointed to the paper in his hands. "Oh, so you've seen it."

"Yes. Felicity-"

"Do you know how much work I got done today? Barely anything, because all I've heard about is how 'terrifying' our near-death experience was and how 'romantic' it was that you came to my rescue."

"Felicity-"

She started pacing. "I couldn't even eat in the cafeteria. You know why? Because everyone was staring at me. The entire company now thinks the only reason you've hired me is because we're sleeping together. I mean, I practically skipped high school and went to MIT for crying out loud. MIT! But does that mean anything now? Nooo, I'm just some blonde floozy sleeping with the boss."

"It's not-" Oliver tried to cut in once more to no success. He shot a look to Diggle, who shook his head. Apparently, they just needed to let her finish.

"And it's not like I can even successfully refute it because, hello, I _am_ living with you," Felicity rambled, gesturing wildly. "So here's what I'm going to do. I am going to spend the rest of the day at my other job in the Foundry, shutting out the world and actually trying to get something done. But not before I stop at the store and get a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream to induce a much-needed sugar coma after the horrible day that I've had." Finally, she stopped pacing and placed her hands on her hips, trying to catch her breath.

"Are you finished?"

"Yes. I think so."

"I haven't gotten much done today either. Maybe we should all go to the Foundry." He could use a workout to blow off some of his own steam.

"Oliver, are you crazy? Did you not hear what I just said?"

Oliver frowned in confusion. "What?"

"If we both leave now, it'll make people even more suspicious. It'll look like we snuck off together for an afternoon delight! No way. I'm going," Felicity declared. "You stay."

Diggle cleared his throat in an attempt to hide his laugh. Before Oliver could dig himself any deeper, he intervened. "Felicity, I'll take you to the Foundry."

"After the store. I was serious about that pint of mint chocolate chip."

"Yes, of course."

With a succinct nod, barely sparing a glance at Oliver, Felicity was already walking out the door.

"What the heck just happened?" Oliver muttered to himself.

"Might be best to let her cool down." Diggle patted him on the back. "Women."

* * *

There was nothing a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream couldn't cure. Felicity was convinced as she ate another satisfying spoonful. It was an odd day when she got more done in the basement of an abandoned steel factory rather than the office. For once she welcomed the solitude.

The last twenty-four hours had been crazy. Felicity wasn't sure what was more upsetting, being held at gunpoint after watching the mayor being assassinated or the entire world thinking that she was sleeping with Oliver Queen. She knew the answer was the latter, and it shamed her. Not that seeing the mayor killed wasn't horrible. Felicity had tossed and turned all night thinking about it. She'd never seen anyone die before. It was bound to happen eventually. Starling City was dark, and teaming up with The Arrow meant that they were constantly in the thick of it. The charity event was meant to be a fun night out, but apparently crime never took a night off.

Whenever Felicity was upset, she would bury herself in work. The distraction helped to clear her head and calm her nerves. Computers were so easy to figure out. Whatever you programmed them to do, they would follow through without complaint. The media was a whole different kind of machine. It's not like Oliver hadn't warned her about the press. He said there might be some gossip if they went together. However, if The Hoods hadn't attacked, there probably wouldn't have been so much attention placed on her and Oliver.

Felicity was not prepared for the level of scrutiny. The only QC employees she usually interacted with were in the IT department. It was weird to walk into QC this morning and suddenly have everyone staring at her. Ray's executive assistant, Claire, was the first to approach her. She was a nice girl and just as chatty as Felicity, so they got along. Within seconds she'd shoved the _Starling City Post_ into Felicity's hands, already opened to the gossip column. Each sentence caused Felicity's eyes to grow wider. Then Claire was bombarding her with questions about The Hoods and Oliver, to which Felicity expertly dodged.

Looking back on it, the cafeteria was probably the worst place for Felicity to have lunch. That's where Marcy had approached her. She was a middle-aged woman who worked in Accounting. Felicity had met with Marcy only once with Ray and another IT specialist to go over the costs of upgrading QC's system. Felicity knew that Marcy and Carrie worked closely, since she prepared budgets for Carrie to give to Oliver. Lord knows what Carrie had told Marcy, because she had the same frosty demeanor when they met. It's why Felicity undoubtedly knew that the only reason Marcy was voluntarily speaking with her was to dig up dirt to report back to Carrie.

Of course the people around them grew suspiciously quiet in an attempt to hear what Felicity was saying. Felicity had done her best to stress that she and Oliver were "just friends" and that he would've helped anyone if they'd been in the same situation. But then Marcy had to cut in, rather loudly, and ask why they were living together if nothing was going on. Felicity vowed to herself that if she ever found out who leaked that she was staying with Oliver-her money was on someone who either worked or lived in their building-she would hack into every device that person owned and make porcupine farting videos play on a continuous loop.

The cherry on top had been Marcy's parting comment about Felicity's ability to "please the boss on all fronts." The implication that Felicity wasn't qualified for her job had her seeing red. That's when she'd marched all the way to Oliver's office. Carrie was practically shooting fire from her eyes at her arrival, which basically confirmed Felicity's decision to get the hell out of there.

Now that she had a chance to calm down, Felicity felt kind of bad for taking her frustration out on Oliver. It wasn't his fault that they were in this mess. He'd been so nice to her last night, and she really did owe him yet again for saving her. That's why Felicity was hard at work going over Malcolm's financial statements. There had been a few flags related to suspicious transactions. The first three had been a bust, and she was now working on the fourth.

Uncovering the trail, she gasped at what she'd found. "Oh, wow." This was the first lead that had proved solid. Oliver would want to know about this. Felicity sent him a text, and he replied that he'd be right over.

Picking up the ice cream, Felicity shoved a celebratory spoonful into her mouth. She typed away at the keyboard, double checking a few more details. She'd just finished her crosscheck and the rest of the ice cream by the time Oliver and Diggle arrived.

"What did you find?" Oliver eagerly asked.

"Several years ago, Merlyn purchased a large piece of land on the outskirts of Starling from a real estate company."

"What's so unusual about that?" Diggle commented. "You think he built himself a hideout there?"

"Not exactly." Felicity pulled up the sales record. "This transaction wasn't listed in the city records, but I found it in the real estate company's business archives. The address also doesn't appear to be on any legitimate maps. It seems Merlyn went through a lot of trouble hiding its location."

Oliver frowned. "So what is it?"

"I managed to get a satellite image of the property. It appears to be a private landing strip," Felicity informed them, pulling up another image. "Since this is most likely used for a plane, I checked the radar within the area over the last few months. Sure enough, something took off from that spot the same night your mother was killed."

"He fled," Oliver practically growled, his hands balling into fists. "Do you know where he went?"

"Not specifically. But I do know that it returned a couple of months later before flying out once more."

Diggle rubbed his eyes. "So we're back to square one."

"Oh ye of little faith," Felicity scoffed. "Now that I know what to look for, I had the computer go back into Merlyn's records and flag anyone with flight experience. Turns out an old buddy of his from college is a licensed pilot. They've consistently kept in contact, but their communications increased in the days leading up to the Undertaking. Dollars to donuts, you get this guy to spill his guts and we find out where he took Merlyn."

It was the best news Oliver had heard all day. "Do you have an address?" Felicity ripped a piece of paper off of her notepad and handed it to Oliver. "Felicity, you are remarkable."

Felicity beamed. "Thank you for remarking on it." She watched as Oliver grabbed his suit and gear. At least she had done something right today.

* * *

Oliver didn't return to the Foundry until after nightfall. The pilot hadn't been home, so he had to wait. It didn't take long for Oliver's patience to wear thin. He'd wasted enough time and needed answers. When the guy did come home and was less than cooperative, Oliver provided some incentive via the man's living room window. He'd landed on the front lawn and whimpered in a mixture of pain and fear. The impact must've also knocked some sense into him, because the pilot was quick to tell Oliver everything he knew. With the threat of an arrow to the eye if he told Merlyn about their conversation, Oliver left with the information he needed.

Diggle and Felicity looked up from their seats as he entered the Foundry. "Did you get what you needed?" Diggle inquired.

"The guy's still alive, right?" Felicity added.

Oliver gave her a look. "He's a little worse for wear but, yes, he's alive. Merlyn's in Corto Maltese."

Turning to her computer, Felicity googled the name and scanned the results. "Corto Maltese is a small island off the coast of South America," she informed them. "According to news reports, the government isn't all that stable. There's been some armed rebel uprisings recently. Officials think the Russian mob is behind it, since they have a strong presence in the country. Apparently, they don't approve of the new president's policies cutting into their business."

"Good."

Felicity frowned in confusion. "Huh? How is that good?"

Diggle was already on the same page. "You thinking about reaching out to some of your Bratva connections?"

"Yes. They protect their interests at all costs, which means nothing of importance escapes their attention. Someone like Merlyn showing up wouldn't go unnoticed."

"They might be able to give us an exact location."

"Which Felicity could then look up, so we know what we're dealing with. We can case the area before we even leave."

"Um, hello. I'm right here," Felicity interrupted, waving her hands to get their attention. "I need to know what you two are talking about before I can do anything. What's the Bratva?"

"It's the Russian mob."

"You know people in the Russian mob?"

"Actually, I'm in the Russian mob."

Felicity's eyes widened. "Explain that sentence."

"It's a long story," Oliver replied.

"Oh, I've got time." Felicity folded her arms and sat back in her chair.

Oliver was reluctant to get into the details but could tell that she wasn't going to let the issue slide. "I once saved the leader of the Solntsevskaya Bratva, so he made me a captain."

"So he knows you're The Arrow?"

"Yes."

"You told him just like that?" she retorted, shocked. Oliver had freaked when she'd found out his identity, and she was far less scary than some Russian mobster.

"I knew him before I was The Arrow."

"So you saved him pre-island? I guess not _all_ of those tabloid stories were true then," she joked.

"Not exactly."

The amused smile slipped from Felicity's face, her expression turning serious. She was clearly missing something, and Oliver's cryptic answers weren't helping. "That doesn't make any sense, Oliver. If it wasn't before the island or after you became The Arrow then..." Suddenly, it clicked. "Oh my God, he was on the island with you. But you said you were alone those five years."

"I lied," he said simply.

"No one else was rescued with you. How did he get off but you-"

"It doesn't matter," Oliver dismissed. He couldn't get into what happened on the island with her. Even Diggle, who he trusted more than anyone and had been his partner for over a year now, didn't know everything. "The point is my Bratva connections will give us an advantage."

Sensing Oliver's obstinance, Felicity let it go. His time on the island was a touchy subject, and it really wasn't any of her business anyway. Felicity could understand why he wouldn't want to open up about such a personal ordeal, as they'd only known each other for a few weeks. If he wanted to share, of course she would listen. Until then, it was Oliver's secret to keep.

Getting back to the task at hand, Felicity inquired, "What do you need from me?"

"See if you can set up a facial recognition program for Merlyn focused on Corto Maltese. If possible, I want to know every move he makes."

"Got it."

"Diggle, we need to pay Alexi Leonov a visit." Anticipating Felicity's curiosity, Oliver said, "He's part of the Starling City chapter of the Bratva."

Diggle stood up. "You want to go now?"

"I'll just be a minute." He motioned to Felicity with his eyes. Understanding that Oliver needed to talk to Felicity alone, Diggle went to get the car ready.

Felicity was typing away at the computer when Oliver approached her. So focused on the task at hand, it took her a second to notice him. "Is there something else you need me to do?"

"No. I wanted to see how you're doing. You seemed pretty upset earlier." He eyed the empty pint of ice cream on the desk.

She shrugged sheepishly. "I stress eat."

Oliver offered a small smile in understanding. "Felicity, I-"

"No. Let me start." Felicity stood up to face him. "I'm sorry that I freaked out on you earlier. It really wasn't your fault about the gossip. In fact, you totally warned me." She let out a weary breath. "I've worked really hard to be as good as I am, and it just frustrated me that that was all called into question because of mere romantic speculation. The way everyone was looking at me today...it just sucked."

"Felicity, I am sorry." His words were genuine. Oliver hated seeing Felicity so dejected. "The media gets things wrong half the time anyway and when something big like last night happens, they add even more hype to sell papers. Eventually the rumors will die down when they see that nothing is going on."

"I know."

"As for you only getting the job because of me, that's ridiculous. All the people you've worked with at QC know you're more than qualified." Oliver placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and met her gaze. "Trust me, your brilliance won't be overlooked for long."

Oliver's words had the desired effect, because Felicity visibly relaxed. "Thank you, Oliver," she said softly. It meant a lot to her that he had such a high regard for her skills. It was nice to be appreciated.

"Why don't you go back to the loft? It's late, and you've been here all day. We can continue this tomorrow."

"I thought you and Dig were meeting with that mafia guy?"

"We can drop you off first."

"All right," Felicity agreed before turning off the monitors. It had been an exhausting day, and she could use some personal time to wind down. She muttered under her breath, "Have to face the world sometime."

Oliver saw a couple of articles like the ones he'd read earlier open on the monitor closest to him. He watched as Felicity clicked them closed with a little more force than necessary.

Felicity scoffed, muttering, "They've practically got us picking out China patterns. Who knew one dance could cause so much trouble?"

Unbidden, his mind wandered to their dance the night before. Their closeness. The feeling of her small hand in his and the curve of her waist. The way her eyes had glistened at the mention of her father, making Oliver want to hunt him down like Cooper and pay for ever hurting her. The intensity of such a simple moment was unnatural-at least for him. As much as he cared about those closest to him, Oliver did everything he could to keep them at a distance. With the life he led, it was easier that way. He didn't know what it was about Felicity that had briefly gotten through that wall. Whatever it was, Oliver knew he couldn't let it happen again.

"Yeah, who knew."

* * *

Oliver's stomach was grumbling before he even realized that he was awake. He looked at the clock and saw that it was nine o'clock. For a second, he panicked thinking that he'd slept through his alarm and would be late for work. Then he remembered it was Saturday and breathed a sigh of relief. Taking another breath in, he knew exactly why he'd woken up. Bacon. The greasy, crisp smell was faint but there. Oliver's stomach grumbled once more. Felicity must already be up.

He hadn't planned on sleeping in, but it had been a late night. Something about the weekend made the crazies come out in droves. There were quite a few disturbances in The Glades, and it had taken a while to round up the perpetrators. When Oliver had finally hauled his ass into bed, sleep continued to evade him. He'd been plagued by nightmares. Each time he had to watch his mother's body crumple lifelessly to the floor. Malcolm Merlyn stood over her, grinning, holding a long sword that dripped with her blood.

Oliver was growing restless. The leader of the Starling City Bratva promised to look into the Merlyn matter and get back to him when he had information. A few days had passed with no word. Even Felicity was having trouble getting any hits with facial recognition in Corto Maltese. There weren't many cameras to tap into. The Bratva and other corrupt entities didn't exactly like the possibility of their illegal activities being on display. If there was one thing Oliver hated, it was being left in the dark. Oliver would give Leonov one more day before he paid him another visit, and this one wouldn't be as polite.

Since going back to sleep was out of the question, Oliver dragged himself out of bed. He threw on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before leaving his room. Felicity was, indeed, awake and bustling around the kitchen. Even more surprising was the sight of Tommy sitting at the counter.

"Nice of you to join us, Sleeping Beauty," Tommy joked, sipping his coffee.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but what the hell are you doing here so early?"

"I thought we could go to the batting cages today. Take a break from being responsible adults and hit something. We haven't done that in ages."

"If there's one thing Oliver needs, it's to hit more things in life," Felicity agreed. When Oliver gave her a wry look, she teasingly smiled back.

Tommy continued, "I tried texting you, but your phone must be off. So I texted Felicity instead, and she invited me over for breakfast." He sent her an appreciative nod.

"Which you are just in time for." Felicity placed a giant plate filled with chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon in front of Tommy, along with a glass of orange juice. "Oliver, what do you want?"

"You didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to," she replied with a kind smile. "Can't let this amazing kitchen go to waste."

Felicity didn't exactly like cooking. In fact, she'd been a terrible cook when she first started out. It was almost impossible for her to make something as simple as an omelet without burning it. The more she moved around with Brother Eye, however, the more she craved that feeling of "home." Endless nights of takeout were a constant reminder of her depressing situation, and it had started to wear on her. Learning to cook actually grounded Felicity and gave her a sense of normalcy. Staying with Oliver now, and eating far too much takeout yet again this week, had her feeling the urge to start cooking once more. She also didn't want to spend another morning eating cold cereal.

"So, Oliver, what are you having?"

"I'd go with everything," Tommy suggested as he shoved a large bite of pancake into his mouth. He groaned in satisfaction. "She makes a mean buttermilk. Seriously, how do you capture that golden brown taste so perfectly?"

Spatula in hand, Felicity shrugged modestly. "It's a gift. Or I could just have superior research skills and know how to find the best recipe. Either way, you guys win."

Laughing, Oliver replied, "Okay. Everything it is." The food really did smell fantastic, and he enjoyed watching Felicity fix him a plate. It was a different, more casual side he hadn't really seen of her. Her glasses were on and her hair was up in a messy bun. She wore black yoga pants and a light gray sweatshirt that fell off of one shoulder. The finishing touch was her pink, fuzzy slippers that shuffled against the floor as she moved back and forth from the stove to the counter.

"Here you are, Mr. Queen." She slid a full plate and cup of coffee in front of him. "By the way, tips are totally appreciated."

"Thank you." Oliver, impressed, couldn't remember the last time anyone had cooked for him. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"Just give me one sec." Felicity padded over to the freezer and grabbed the gallon of vanilla ice cream. Tommy and Oliver watched in fascination as she placed a large scoopful between her two pancakes.

"What on earth are you doing?" Tommy demanded, perplexed.

"Making a pancake ice cream sandwich. I used to do it all the time when I was a kid." Felicity poured syrup on top before returning to the refrigerator and grabbing a can of whipped cream. She sprayed it all over the top pancake and hummed happily. "Now I'm finished."

Tommy shook his head in disbelief. "Wow, that's hardcore."

"What?" she innocently replied. "It's calcium."

"How come we didn't get one of those?" Oliver retorted, unable to hide his amusement at her childish antics.

"Didn't think you'd be up for it, Mr. Fitness."

Oliver pushed his plate toward her in a challenge. "Hit me."

Quirking her eyebrow, Felicity obliged and made him a pancake ice cream sandwich, too. Tommy, claiming he was watching his figure, declined. She then took her seat between the two and looked to Oliver. "So, what do you think?"

"Not bad," Oliver had to admit.

"You should try it with waffles and chocolate syrup. That's even better." She said offhandedly, "Remind me to add chocolate syrup to the grocery list. We are seriously low on the necessities."

"Since when is chocolate syrup a necessity?"

"Since always."

"I'd have to go with butter," Tommy declared. "Anything that truly tastes good has to have butter."

"No. Salt," Oliver definitively stated. "When you're eating a wild animal on a remote island, salt would make it go down a hell of a lot easier."

They finished their breakfast and continued the light banter, trying to one-up each other. Joking around with Felicity and Tommy was a welcomed contrast to the restless night Oliver had experienced. It gave him back a piece of normalcy. When they were finished, Oliver and Tommy insisted that Felicity not lift a finger. She'd done enough, and they could handle the cleanup.

While Oliver and Tommy discussed the batting cages, Felicity fiddled around on her tablet. She was casually browsing through her email when she got an alert. Someone had tried to illegally access one of her personal accounts. Immediately, Felicity knew it had to be Cooper. She cursed quietly under her breath, because she couldn't instantly track him. She'd need the equipment in the Foundry for that. By the time she got there, any trace of him would most likely be gone. Felicity was so absorbed in trying to figure out what to do that she completely missed Oliver calling her name.

"Felicity!"

She jumped in her seat. "What?"

"You okay?" Oliver watched her in that perceptive way of his while Tommy stared curiously.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry. Sort of zoned out there for a minute. What?"

"I'm going with Tommy. If you need to go anywhere, call Diggle." There was a mild warning in his voice. The other day she'd ventured to the store alone, and Oliver had had a fit. He said the whole point of having security was to keep her safe at all times. Felicity wasn't used to having someone trail her everywhere she went and found it annoying.

"Don't worry. I'll be staying in today."

Oliver wanted her to take precautions, and she understood. The reminder was right in front of Felicity, taunting her. Cooper hadn't been able to breach her safeguards, but it was proof he was definitely out there lurking and plotting. It wasn't a matter of _if_ he'd make his move but _when_.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks for taking the time to review, guys! I always appreciate your feedback. I know lots of you are trying to figure out Cooper and what he may be planning. It'll be interesting to see your theories as the story evolves. Hope you like this next chapter. This one and the next few coming up, in particular, were my favorite to write. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

Keeping her eyes on the screen in front of her was the hardest task Felicity faced all week. It wasn't like she didn't have work to do. She had plenty. Oliver's Bratva contact had finally come through and given them the location of Merlyn's supposed compound in Corto Maltese. Felicity was able to get a few photos of the site via satellite, but nothing as detailed as Oliver needed. The lack of results was frustrating. Hence, Oliver's very vigorous workout on the salmon ladder and the source of Felicity's current inability to focus.

Oliver was already a sight to behold with his shirt off. Watching him do the salmon ladder, dripping in sweat as his muscles rippled with the exertion of going up another level, conjured up a whole slew of inappropriate fantasies. The last time Felicity had seen bulging biceps and washboard abs had been her movie night watching _Magic Mike_.

Diggle, reviewing the photos Felicity had given him, stated, "From what I can tell, the structure of the compound is fortified. Sneaking in from the ground would be difficult."

"But not impossible," Oliver grunted in between pull-ups.

"I can't tell from the photos, but Merlyn probably has security, too. It would be foolish to leave himself unprotected. Did Leonov mention anything about the Dark Archer?"

"No. He didn't come up."

"Doesn't mean he's not there," Diggle countered.

"Who's the Dark Archer?" Felicity questioned, curious. It was a constant game of catch-up with these two. It was difficult to be on the same page with them when she knew so little.

Given that Oliver was preoccupied with his workout, Diggle responded, "Last year, there was another archer roaming around Starling City. He started killing several of our targets and was involved in the Unidac Massacre."

"If I remember correctly, Unidac was a subsidiary of QC. It developed the Markov earthquake device, right?"

"Right. The scientists who'd developed the device were all killed by the Dark Archer, and their research was destroyed. This was a couple of weeks before the Undertaking. It wasn't until we learned from Oliver's mom of Merlyn's plan that we realized the two were connected."

"So the Dark Archer works for Merlyn and is probably in Corto Maltese with him," Felicity surmised. "Is he good?"

"He's got skill. But I'm better," Oliver declared, jumping down from the ladder and landing firmly on his feet.

"Well, you certainly aren't lacking in confidence."

Oliver grabbed a towel and walked around the desk to join them. "This third-party information is getting us nowhere fast," he grumbled. "We can't plan an effective strategy on speculation."

"I'm trying as hard as I can to dig up more details, but Merlyn is like a magician. He knows all the right tricks to make himself disappear. Corto Maltese is so corrupt that it's practically a lost cause. Merlyn would blend right in with the rest of the criminals, because they're not going to rat each other out." Felicity turned back to the computer and huffed at the semi-blurry satellite images. "Short of climbing a nearby tree with binoculars in hand, we're not going to get a clear shot."

"So that's what we do."

"What?" Felicity frowned. "Become peeping toms?"

Ignoring her quip, Oliver explained, "The only way to know for sure what we're facing is to go to Corto Maltese and track Merlyn ourselves."

"You mean, like, now?"

"The sooner the better. He's not always in the same place for long. You said he flew back to Starling recently. Who knows when he'll be on the move again?"

"Actually, wouldn't it be easier to wait until he comes back to Starling? That way he's back on your turf," she pointed out. "Now that I know about the landing strip, I can monitor it for new activity."

"We have no guarantee that he'll return to Starling."

"He came back once. I'd bet money he'll do it again as long as Tommy's here."

Diggle asked, "Why Tommy? The two have never seen eye to eye, and now his son hates him even more."

"Because even though Merlyn sounds like a total monster, Tommy is still his flesh and blood. Merlyn already carried out his revenge on The Glades," Felicity explained to them. "Mission accomplished. What other reason could he have for coming back here when the risk of exposure is so high?"

"We're going to Corto Maltese," Oliver decided. "I don't want Tommy anywhere near Merlyn when I bring him down"

"I get that you want to protect your friend, but you're making this that much harder, Oliver. You not only have to infiltrate the compound, but then you have to take him down and drag him back to Starling. What are we going to do, tie him up and throw him in a suitcase for the flight home?"

"We're not bringing him back to Starling." The finality in Oliver's voice gave her pause.

She chose her next words carefully. "So how is he going to face justice if you're not bringing him back to Starling?" He and Diggle exchanged a look. Felicity had her answer. "So this is not so much about justice as it is revenge."

"Malcolm Merlyn murdered thousands of innocent people, including my mother, Felicity," he said without apology.

"So that makes it okay for you to do the same to him?" she challenged and stood up to face him. "Oliver, when I signed on to help you find him, I didn't realize I was signing on to be an accessory to murder."

"It's not murder."

"It's not justice either." Felicity turned to Diggle. "You're okay with this?" Felicity knew that Diggle had been a soldier in the army and had killed before. He'd once told her about the young man he'd unknowingly killed in order to protect a U.S. informant with a seedy reputation. It made him question if he was still a good person. Joining Oliver in his crusade to bring down criminals, he'd said, was the first time in a long time he actually felt good again. Diggle was without a doubt a man of honor. Felicity couldn't imagine him being okay with Oliver's plan.

Diggle's understanding eyes never wavered from her pleading ones. "Unfortunately, there are always casualties when you're fighting a war."

Felicity removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes. She knew that The Arrow had taken out quite a few criminals, but Oliver hadn't done anything of the sort since she'd joined the team. There had been a few close calls-The Hoods holding them at gunpoint being one of them-but it seemed like Oliver was showing restraint. Felicity had since let go of her trepidation and had been helping Oliver in his mission at full force. Hearing his plan for Merlyn now suddenly made the doubts she'd had before signing on with him start to creep back in.

"Felicity." Oliver tried to soften his tone and not give in to the residual adrenaline from his workout. Despite her usually sweet nature, one of the things Oliver had learned about Felicity was that she wasn't one to back down from a fight. She may be angry about his plan, but he could tell that she was equally upset. Becoming defensive would only set her more on edge. "Merlyn is evil, and he's dangerous. Just because he was successful in destroying The Glades, there's no assurance that he won't plan something else. I've already failed my city once. I can't fail it again."

His eyes implored her to understand, and Felicity found herself torn. She'd had to trust Oliver before she even knew him. Since becoming a part of the team, that trust in him had deepened. Night after night Felicity watched him take down the scourges of the city and save innocent lives. There were also the friendly, in-between moments when they would have a chance to talk and get to know each other a little better. The night they'd danced at the charity event and his kind words were proof that Oliver was capable of compassion.

Regardless of the light she'd seen in him, there were moments of darkness, too. Oliver was constantly broody and stubborn to a fault at times. He put everything on his own shoulders and was his own harshest critic when things didn't go his way. It was understandable given what he'd been through, but Felicity still wished that he would let her or Diggle in. Oliver practically never talked about his time on the island-the only small exception being during their breakfast with Tommy last weekend. Felicity had so many questions but could never buck up the courage to ask Oliver, sensing it wasn't anything he'd like to discuss. She'd practically had to drag the Bratva information out of him and even then she hadn't learned that much.

Worst of all was that when Oliver made a decision, that was it. There was no changing his mind, no matter how much Diggle might try to reason with him. That same stubbornness and blind determination were reflecting back at her now. Oliver was going to kill Merlyn whether or not she approved. The only difference her involvement would make is that Oliver had a better chance of winning against him if she helped. Hadn't he taken the same risk for her-a practical stranger at the time-when he agreed to help her take down Brother Eye? Didn't she owe him the same level of trust in return? Felicity could admit that Oliver wasn't completely unjustified in his reasoning for wanting Merlyn dead, but she also couldn't shake the feeling that this was the wrong course of action.

"For the record, I don't like this at all," Felicity said firmly and put her glasses back on with purpose. "I will, however, keep my promise to help you track down Merlyn but that's it. Once you've gotten the information you need to not end up dead yourself, I don't want to be involved past that point."

With a nod, Oliver said, "Fair enough."

"If you'll excuse me, I need some air." Before he or Diggle could say anything else, she stormed out of the Foundry.

* * *

The pinging from Oliver's computer meant that he had another email from Tommy. The Wi-Fi signal on the plane was strong, allowing him to get some work done for QC and send a quick message to his best friend. Tommy was going to throw a party over the weekend, which Oliver had to decline for both him and Felicity. Oliver, Diggle and Felicity were already on their way to Corto Maltese. It had taken a day to get their affairs in order and chart a private jet since taking the one owned by his family would be too conspicuous. If Merlyn caught wind of their arrival, their operation would be over before it started.

Of course, Oliver had told Tommy that they were going to Mexico instead. He'd made up an excuse that they wanted to get away for a few days to avoid all of the media attention. Tommy had then responded, sarcasm implied, that a trip to Mexico made perfect sense and would certainly quell the rumors, as it was a hotspot for either getting laid or engaged.

With a roll of his eyes, Oliver typed his response and said he'd talk to Tommy when he got back. It didn't matter how many times Oliver told Tommy he and Felicity were just friends, his best friend was not convinced. It was starting to wear on Oliver's nerves. If Tommy could see how Felicity was giving him the silent treatment right now, he wouldn't be entertaining such a ludicrous misconception. The temperamental blonde was sitting as far away from Oliver as she possibly could. The only time she spoke to him was out of necessity. Having grown used to her talkative nature, it was kind of throwing Oliver off.

Diggle set down a glass of clear liquid in front of him before taking a seat beside him. "You look like you could use a drink."

"I don't disagree."

"You should talk to her," his friend advised, cutting right to the chase.

"She's not too happy with me right now." Oliver spared another glance at Felicity. Her seat was partially reclined, and she had her nose stuck in a book. She hadn't put it down for at least an hour.

"Felicity's not used to this life, Oliver. Not like us. It's going to take some time for her to adjust. She's spent years behind a computer screen. Whatever atrocities Brother Eye had her commit, she's mostly been sheltered from the true evils in the world. Nothing she's ever done has resulted in taking a life."

"So what do I do?" He was unable to keep the frustration from his voice. "Merlyn killed my mother, John. I can't let this go."

"She'll probably never agree with you on this," Diggle said honestly, "but you need to at least help her to understand where you're coming from. She wouldn't be here if she didn't trust you. Show her that despite your disagreements, her faith hasn't been misplaced."

"How?"

"I don't know. That's something you need to figure out, Oliver."

* * *

It had been ten minutes since the pilot announced that they would be hitting a few turbulents. There had been more than a "few," Felicity noted, while involuntarily bouncing in her seat yet again. Her book cast aside, Felicity closed her eyes and counted to ten to keep from totally freaking out. Something brushed her arm, and she opened her eyes. Oliver had taken the seat next to her.

"I didn't know you had a fear of flying."

"I don't," Felicity denied with a slight hitch in her voice as they hit another invisible bump. "Well, that's not totally true. I am afraid of heights. Usually I can forget about it as long as it doesn't seem like we might crash and die." She exhaled a shaky breath. "Which suddenly feels like a very real possibility."

"We're going to be fine." He reassured her, "Even if we were in trouble, there are parachutes aboard."

"Yeah, the thought of jumping out of a plane doesn't exactly bring me much comfort, Oliver. With my luck, the chute probably wouldn't open."

"You wouldn't need to worry. I wouldn't let you fall."

His words caused her head to turn in his direction. It was the first time she looked at him since they'd boarded. The admission made her heart jump for an entirely different kind of reason. Felicity could see that Oliver meant what he said, not that she doubted he'd just let her die. He'd kept her safe thus far. Reminding herself that she was supposed to be mad at him, she retorted, "If I were Merlyn, it would be a different story."

Felicity heard Oliver sigh next to her. "Felicity, this isn't a decision I made lightly."

"You made it all the same," she countered. "You should've told me your intentions, Oliver. I had a right to know what I was being used for."

"I'm not using you, Felicity. We're partners."

"Partners discuss things, Oliver. You do whatever you want. It's your mission, so I can accept that to a point. But when those decisions involve me helping you take another man's life, I think I deserve at least some say in the matter."

"You're right," he said after a minute of silence passed between them. "And I'm sorry. It's been just Diggle and I for so long that sometimes I forget how different your perspective is."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"No. Complicated, yes, but not bad. This dynamic is new to me, too." He gave her a wry smile. "I was bound to screw it up at some point."

"Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?"

"Assume the worst of yourself." She was quick to clarify, "I'm not talking about your butt-kicking ability. We both know you're pretty adept in that department, and it's why I came to you in the first place." Oliver was watching her intently, and Felicity needed a moment to put her thoughts into words. She had to get this right. "I realize we haven't known each other for very long, but I can see how much you want to fix things in Starling. The good you're trying to do. I can also see the tremendous burden you bear, even when something isn't your fault.

"That night we first met at Verdant, you mentioned that donating all the money from the reopening was the least you could do to support The Glades. Like that gesture in and of itself was nothing. And since I already knew you were The Arrow and responsible for keeping the city safe in the chaos that followed the Undertaking, the guilt I detected surprised me. It keeps surprising me, because I see it every night when you put on that hood. Originally, I thought the hood and mask were to simply hide your identity so that you could protect others without complications. Now...I'm wondering if the person you're really trying to protect by being The Arrow is yourself."

Her words felt like a punch to the gut to Oliver. Not because they were hurtful but because they were true. It was like Felicity could see right through him, and he didn't know how to feel about that. Isolation for Oliver was like breathing. It's how he'd survived the five years he was away. It's how he continued to keep the ones he loved safe. They were a part of his life, but he never let them all the way in. Never let them see the internal scars that rivaled the ones visible on his body.

Felicity had known pain, but in many ways she'd managed to maintain her innocence. It was one of the qualities Oliver found most fascinating about her. The way she could laugh and open up to others so easily. The trust she had put in him from the start, despite all the years Brother Eye had taught her to be on her guard. Even with Cooper on the loose and threatening her safety, a day had yet to pass when Oliver didn't see Felicity smile at least once. Her resilience was unwavering, and Oliver didn't want to be the one take that from her. To burden her with the horrors he'd endured. And yet, Diggle was right. How could Felicity understand him if she didn't know him? Oliver had to give her something. One small piece.

"My father didn't drown." He said it so quietly, Felicity had to lean in to hear him. "After the Queen's Gambit went down, we were drifting in a life raft with another crew member for days. We were almost out of what little food and water we had. It wouldn't be enough to sustain one person for long, let alone three.

"My dad kept telling me that I was the one who would survive. That he wished he had more time. That I would have to be the one to make it back to Starling and right his wrongs. I thought he was delirious. I could barely think straight myself. I didn't know about the gun he had on him."

Felicity watched Oliver closely as he paused. He was staring straight ahead, lost in the memory. She sat unmoving, afraid that at any second he would realize what he was doing and close himself off.

"That first gunshot was the loudest sound I'd ever heard in my life. One minute the guy was sitting there and the next he was dead in the water. I barely recognized my father in that moment. He'd always been a good man-or so I thought. I knew what was coming next. I could see it in his eyes. All he said was 'survive' and then he was gone, too. It wasn't until I drifted to the island that I was able to give him a proper burial."

Oliver felt Felicity place a comforting hand on his arm, but he couldn't look at her. Not for what was coming next. "The first time I took a life was my second year on the island. I learned quickly that I wasn't alone. I met a man named Yao Fei, and he taught me how to survive. When he couldn't help me any longer, he sent me to a couple of people who could. One of them was his daughter, Shado.

"We had gotten close. She was the one who trained me to shoot an arrow. The green hood had actually belonged to her. She used to wear it when she went out hunting. For a time we thought that we were safe on the island, but we were wrong. Shado was captured by a group of men who were looking for something. We went to get her back and were waiting to make our move when one of the men hit her. He held a knife to her throat, ready to hurt her...and I lost it.

"I charged right at him, and I didn't stop. It was minutes later that I finally heard them calling my name. I couldn't face them after what I'd done. Not with the blood on my hands. It was like they didn't belong to me. I couldn't recognize myself. It doesn't necessarily get easier after you kill someone. You just learn not to think about it. You tell yourself that guilt has no precedence over survival. That you have a right to protect yourself and the ones you love. And each time you're able to go on living, even if it means sacrificing a piece of your own soul."

Felicity wiped at the tears that had fallen, in a state of both shock and sadness. She could tell how much it cost Oliver to reveal all of that. Despite his stoic exterior, there was an internal battle raging. The agony was in his words, and Felicity wanted nothing more than to offer him some type of reassurance. To let him know that whatever sins he'd committed in the past, they didn't make him a bad person. His perseverance to rise above it all made her admire him even more. Most importantly, Felicity wanted Oliver to know that he mattered, too. "What about your soul?" she murmured. "Does that not deserve to be protected, too?"

"Not when my family and friends are at risk," Oliver stated determinedly, finally looking at her. "Malcolm Merlyn already took my mother. He's been back in Starling, which means he's still holding on to something. Tommy, Thea, Laurel...they could all end up in his crosshairs. I refuse to let them suffer the same fate."

"What about Tommy?" Felicity softly replied. "Yes, he's angry with his dad but would he really want him dead? Can you honestly say you'll be able to look your best friend in the eye every day for the rest of your life knowing that you've killed his father? Because even though Tommy wasn't responsible for your mother's death, something tells me that if he knew the truth about what happened, he wouldn't be able to face you."

"I'm not Tommy," was all he said, resigned.

"No, you're not," Felicity acknowledged. She moved her other hand to place it atop his own. She needed to get through to him. "But you're not Malcolm Merlyn either, Oliver. As soon as you let the ends justify the means, that's the first step to becoming him."

Her hand grounded him while her eyes drew him in. "Felicity." Oliver hadn't realized how close she'd gotten to him. He'd hoped that Felicity would recognize where he was coming from but a part of him feared that it would drive her further away. The look she was giving him, unexpectedly, spoke of anything but revulsion.

"Whatever trials you've gone through, Oliver, have not made you any less worthy of the same protection that you offer everyone else. There is not a doubt in my mind that you are capable of so much more," Felicity told him, giving his hand a squeeze. "It's never too late to find another way."

She met his intent stare a moment longer before pulling away. The tension from earlier had vanished, replaced by an understanding despite their stark differences in opinion. Taking a moment to collect herself, Felicity noticed that at some point during their conversation the plane had stopped shaking. She breathed a sigh of relief. The worst was seemingly behind them.

* * *

Felicity stared in awe at the hotel lobby as Oliver went to check them in. The high, gilded ceiling reflected off of the white marble floor, which sparkled as if just polished. A large, comfy seating area with a man playing the piano was to the left. On the right was a giant fountain made to look like a cascading waterfall. It was by far one of the most glamorous resorts Felicity had ever been in. Oliver had chosen it because it was run by the Bratva, and it was safe to say that the Russian mafia didn't do anything halfway.

"Megan," Diggle called to her. They'd decided to check in under different names. Oliver wouldn't be known by his appearance here, but the Queen name would garner a lot of unwanted attention. She moved to join them at the front desk and gave her luggage to the bellhop.

"Right this way, Mr. King," the young man directed.

Felicity bit her lip to keep from laughing at Oliver's alternate identity. He'd chosen Jonas (his middle name) King. She'd been too annoyed with him at the time she was "legitimizing" it to tease him about the lack of creativity. They got on the elevator and went to the top floor, where the presidential suite was located.

She nearly gasped when they entered. The suite was humongous, but immediately Felicity's eyes went to the wide, open balcony across the room. They had the perfect beach and ocean view. The horizon was so bright and blue-a stark contrast from the sometimes dark and cloudy Starling skies. A set of plush couches was in the center of the room. On top of the coffee table was a beautiful fruit basket. To the left was a full bar and a couple of doors that led to the bedrooms. To the right was a small alcove with a mirror, table and a door leading to another bedroom. There were probably even little chocolate mints left on the pillows. Felicity loved those.

A warm, salty breeze blew through the suite. It made Felicity want to don her swimsuit and go lay in the sun on the sandy white beach. The last time she'd been in a tropical environment had been spring break in college. Her ID had been fake then, too, and generously supplied by her own mother. With a shake of her head, Felicity reminded herself that this was a mission and not a vacation.

"I trust everything is to your liking, Mrs. King?" the bellhop said to her.

It took a second for Felicity to realize what he was implying. Her eyes widened. "Oh, I'm not-"

"Everything is great," Oliver cut her off. "Just leave the luggage here, and we'll sort it out." He handed the guy a generous tip, which made him unload their things at a diligent rate.

Felicity waited until the bellhop was gone before raising her eyebrow at Oliver. "Mrs. King?"

Oliver shrugged. "It's easier to explain this way." There wouldn't be as many questions if they were posing as a married couple. Nobody would really care, and the least amount of complications was ideal. Oliver was glad that he and Felicity had worked things out on the plane, even if he did feel unnaturally exposed from opening up to her. Their updated status probably wouldn't have gone over well otherwise.

"Uh huh. You wouldn't happen to have a very large and beautiful diamond ring in your suitcase that you 'borrowed' from the jewelers, would you? Because I'd be totally fine with that," she joked.

"No."

"Bummer. You really know how to make a woman feel appreciated, _Jonas_ , dear." The deadpan expression on his face made Felicity grin.

Diggle snorted and proceeded to gather his luggage. "I'll just leave you two to your marital bliss and get settled in."

"Be ready in a couple of hours. We're having drinks with Leonov's contact out here."

Felicity ran a hand through her hair. The humidity left her feeling sticky and in need of a shower. "Good. I could definitely use one."

"You're not coming with us," Oliver informed her.

"What? Why?"

"These men are dangerous. I don't want you anywhere near them."

"Then maybe you shouldn't go around telling people that I'm your wife."

"Doesn't matter. The Bratva is primarily a brotherhood. Their women aren't often directly involved in the business."

Felicity folded her arms. "Jeez, sexist much?"

"Take some time to yourself. Relax," Oliver told her while gathering his things. "The real work starts tomorrow anyway." He was walking toward the master bedroom before she could protest further.

Glancing at the mesmerizing view from the balcony once more, Felicity figured there were worse things in life than being excluded from a meeting with the Russian mafia. The circumstances for this trip sucked, but they were in paradise. Why not make the most of it while she could? Smiling, Felicity gathered her own luggage and took the last bedroom. She would freshen up and head down to the pool. The sun and a pina colada were calling her name.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

This was the life, Felicity thought, as she reclined back in her lounge. There were a few hours left of good sun, and she was going to soak up every one of them. The pool area was just as beautiful as the rest of the hotel. From the covered bar on the hotel terrace, a wide path lined with tropical plants and rock formations led to the large round pool. In the center of the pool was yet another bar in the shape of a small hut.

Felicity chose a lounge closer to the hotel, since it seemed like the service was faster in that section. She took a sip of her drink before pulling her sunglasses back over her eyes. This was so much better than being stuck on a small jet and bouncing around in midair. Malcolm Merlyn was a monster, but Felicity had to admit he knew how to pick a great hideaway. If you're going to be a fugitive, might as well do it in style.

The radiating warmth from the sun made Felicity's skin tingle. She'd missed this. Starling was known for being constantly cloudy, but the weather before they'd left had been particularly dreary. It was like she couldn't shake the chill in her bones.

If Felicity was honest with herself, it probably had less to do with the weather and more to do with Cooper's failed hacking attempt. There hadn't been any other alerts since, but it was important enough to put Felicity on edge. The truth was she'd just started feeling more comfortable in her new life in Starling. Felicity enjoyed spending her days in the IT department at QC and her nights in the Foundry helping Oliver and Diggle save the city. She felt like she had a purpose again. Her spare time in between was spent at the loft. Oliver wasn't always around, but that was okay. Cooper had kept such a close eye on her that it was nice to have some time to herself. She didn't have to put on an act and think about how her actions would be interpreted. Felicity could just simply be.

The downside of getting into a routine was that it created a false sense of security. It would be so easy for Felicity to let her guard down. Oliver had promised to protect her, and Felicity didn't doubt that he could. Nevertheless, it didn't mean that she should rely on him. Cooper wasn't so much a physical danger as he was a mental one. Oliver could chase down criminals and beat them to a pulp to his heart's content, but it was Felicity he was depending on to safeguard their digital defenses. That's where Cooper could do real damage. After everything he'd done for her, Felicity couldn't let Oliver down.

Despite the unsavory reason for this trip, Felicity was glad to temporarily be out of Starling. Yes, she was once again pretending to be something she wasn't but it had nothing to do with her sordid past. She could leave that behind for now and focus solely on Oliver's mission. That's why she didn't feel the need to tell him about Cooper the other day. Oliver had enough to worry about, and it wasn't like he could do anything about it anyway. When she had something more concrete, that's when she'd let him know.

Banishing all thoughts of criminals and Cooper, Felicity let her mind drift to that hazy state between wakefulness and sleep. The long flight had knocked her for a loop, and it wouldn't hurt to take a little nap. Maybe she would feel more refreshed and could get a head start on how best to set up a surveillance on Merlyn. She'd started to doze off when she heard a sharp "Felicity!"

Felicity jumped in her seat, eyes opening to find Oliver and Diggle standing on either side of her. "Oh, hey."

"What are you doing down here, and what are you wearing?"

The way his eyes took her in from head to toe made her thankful it was so damn hot out. The blush wouldn't look so obvious on her face. "What does it look like?" Felicity nonchalantly replied. She frowned at Oliver's annoyed expression. "You told me to relax, so that's what I'm doing. I'm trying to get a tan, hence the bikini." She gestured to the colorful blue, white and black two-piece with a geometric design. "Now if you don't mind, you're kind of blocking my light."

"Felicity, we're meeting with the Bratva leader of Corto Maltese and the owner of this hotel here. You have to go."

"First of all, this is what happens when you exclude me from your plans. Second, I was here first." Felicity shoved her sunglasses onto her head, so he could see the displeased look in her eyes. "And third, what's the big deal? As long as you're not seen talking to me, then no one will even notice that we're-"

"Mr. Queen, there you are," said a short, balding man with a heavy Russian accent. He had a long black beard peppered with white and wore a thin off-white suit with a light blue shirt. Two tall, hulking men, probably his bodyguards, in dark suits stood several feet behind him. "When Alexi told me to expect a visit from an American captain of the Bratva, I almost did not believe him."

"Mr. Petrov," Oliver acknowledged, swiftly masking his irritation. "Please, call me Mr. King. I'd like to keep my business private while I'm in town."

"Yes, of course. My apologies." He looked to Oliver's companions expectantly.

"This is my head of security, J.D.," Oliver introduced.

Petrov shook Diggle's hand, barely sparing him a glance, before staring at Felicity. "And who is this beautiful creature?"

The heat Felicity had felt from Oliver's stare was replaced with a sense of disturbing unease as Petrov's eyes greedily raked her over. Sensing that Oliver was none too happy with this encounter, and not wanting him to say something he'd regret, Felicity quickly tied her sarong back on and stood up to introduce herself. "Call me Megan."

"Isaak Petrov, owner of this hotel. Welcome to Corto Maltese," he said and kissed her hand.

It took everything inside Felicity not to immediately yank her hand back. "Thank you. Your hotel is beautiful," she complimented.

"Will you be joining us, Megan?" he asked hopefully.

"No." Oliver's voice left no room for argument. He motioned to the covered bar, "Shall we?"

Finally, Petrov released Felicity's hand. She smiled politely before retaking her seat. Oliver, shooting a look to Diggle to be on his guard, couldn't lead him away fast enough. They got a private booth by the bar. A waitress came over to get their drink order. Petrov gave her a suggestive wink before sending her on her way.

"So, what can I do for you Mr. Que-King? You are a long way from home."

"As I'm sure Alexi has already told you," Oliver began, "I'm looking for someone new to the island. Malcolm Merlyn."

"Yes, though he doesn't go by that name here. He's visited this hotel a couple of times. Mostly it's the bar in our main restaurant."

"Has he been here recently?"

"I'm afraid not. What do you want with him?"

"That's my business," Oliver dismissed. "Alexi managed to give me the address of Merlyn's estate. What I need from you, as someone who is familiar with the island, is any information about its layout and grounds. Does Merlyn travel with a security detail? Are there any other locations he frequents? Time is of the essence."

Petrov scratched his beard, watching Oliver with a shrewd eye. "This seems like an awful lot of trouble concerning one man. If he has wronged you in some way, wronged the brotherhood, then I can do one better than giving you information. I could have one of my associates deal with Merlyn." He tipped his head at one of the men standing a few feet away. "You wouldn't even have to get your hands dirty."

Oliver picked up his drink that the waitress had just set down. "I appreciate the offer, but my situation with Merlyn is not Bratva related. This is a personal matter, and I'd like to keep it that way." His warning for Petrov to not interfere was clear.

Petrov sat back in his seat, ruminating. "It's very rare for an American to hold such a high rank in the Bratva. Yet, Alexi says that Anatoly speaks very highly of you."

"He should. I saved his life."

"Be that as it may, Alexi also tells me that you go for long periods of time without checking in. Unusual for a Bratva captain to keep his distance."

Oliver, exchanging a discrete look with Diggle, knew that Petrov was testing him. No doubt Alexi had mentioned his concerns to raise suspicion. He probably figured Petrov, being from another Bratva chapter, could legitimately get away with questioning him. "I've been trying to figure out where to place my interests. I looked into pharmaceuticals, specifically Vertigo. That dealer is now out of commission."

"Ah, yes, some character in green. I've heard the stories."

Count Vertigo had been one of Oliver's worst foes. The drug had run rampant in Starling, resulting in several deaths. When Thea had gotten into a car accident one night and tested positive for Vertigo, Oliver made it his top priority to hunt him down. It was difficult, since there were no formal descriptions of The Count. The only way to draw him out wasn't through The Arrow but Oliver Queen. Using his Bratva connections to set it up, Oliver pretended that he wanted to purchase Vertigo to show his club clientele a "good time." Before he could make any real headway, the cops had arrived. Oliver had gotten away without his identity being compromised, but it had been harder tracking him down as The Arrow after that. Eventually, he did face The Count and injected him with a heavy dose of his own drug. The man should've been dead but ended up suffering brain damage. He was now locked up in a mental institution.

Giving nothing away, Oliver agreed, "He can be problematic, which is why I'm being much more meticulous this time around. Anatoly understands."

"Then I have the perfect alternative. There are many exotic plants that grow in Corto Maltese. One in particular that is very potent. The natives call it Cortana. It gives the individual a strong high while also making him susceptible to suggestion. With Vertigo out of the way, I believe Starling would be the perfect place for a test run."

The mere thought of another drug as bad as Vertigo in Starling made Oliver want to clench his fists. Luckily, he knew how to keep his real thoughts hidden. "I'll think about it."

"I will take you to one of my labs tomorrow and show you around."

"I can't tomorrow. I have other business to attend to."

"As brothers in Bratva, surely you will do me this courtesy." Petrov's voice sounded well-mannered, but there was a forceful undertone. "I am, after all, doing you a large favor even though it doesn't concern the Bratva."

Oliver exchanged a quick look with Diggle. He could tell that his partner didn't like this at all. Oliver didn't either, but he had a part to play if he wanted Petrov's help with Merlyn. "Fine," he conceded. "We will go first thing tomorrow morning."

"Excellent. You will not be disappointed," Petrov stated and peeked over at Felicity. "Perhaps you would like to bring the woman with you."

Oliver followed his line of sight and saw Felicity drying herself off with a towel. She had gotten out of the pool. When Oliver had first seen her lying there in her swimsuit, he'd been in mid-conversation with Diggle and had completely stopped in his tracks. Trying to overlook her form-fitting, stylish dresses at home was easier, because Felicity always appeared put together and professional. They had a job to do, and Oliver wouldn't let his mind go there. But in this tropical setting far removed from their usual boundaries at home, seeing her toned and curvy body in that bikini-which left little to the imagination-was very hard to ignore.

On top of it, if he'd known Felicity would be by the pool, Oliver would've never met Petrov there. His astonishment at seeing her had quickly morphed into frustration-mostly with himself. He'd been serious in telling her that these men were dangerous. They might have been posing as a married couple to keep the hotel staff and guests from gossiping about the high rollers in the presidential suite, but there was no way Oliver planned on introducing her to anyone in the Bratva. His name would be enough to protect her, but she would still be ignorant to the brotherhood and its dealings. Felicity didn't need another target on her back if something went down. Unfortunately, meeting Petrov shot that all to hell.

"That won't be necessary. She is not involved in Bratva business," Oliver was firm in this.

"I've been informed by my hotel staff that she is your _wife_. Curious," Petrov offhandedly remarked, "since I did not notice a ring. A man in love would not overlook such a detail." He was watching Felicity again with that hungry look in his eyes.

Not even bothering to hide the menacing threat, Oliver retorted, "Whatever she is to me, she is under my protection and off limits." He met Petrov's determined stare with one of his own, not backing down an inch.

"She will be safe here in my hotel. You have my word," Petrov finally promised, getting the message loud and clear.

"Good." There was still no way he'd let her be without himself or Diggle while they were on the island, but the line had to be drawn just the same.

With their business concluded, Oliver excused himself and went to join Felicity. Diggle sat on her other side. Unlike his partner, Oliver didn't bother taking his shirt off before sitting on the lounge next to her. It wasn't that he was ashamed of his scars. It was just that they would most definitely draw a lot of unwanted attention.

"Did you get everything you needed?" Felicity questioned them.

"Almost," Diggle answered as he gestured to one of the servers.

"Good." She squirmed in her seat. "Because that guy's a total creep."

Diggle let out a laugh while Oliver grinned in amusement. He couldn't agree more.

* * *

"Oh, ow!" Felicity griped as she nearly lost her balance and fell into a bush. Skulking around the outside perimeter of Malcolm Merlyn's compound and getting beat up by the wild vegetation was not her idea of the perfect evening. Unfortunately, it was the best time to set up the surveillance cameras. The setting sun gave her just enough light to see what she was doing without them being completely exposed.

Felicity wasn't sure she really had a right to complain. She'd at least been able to sleep in this morning while Oliver and Diggle had to tour a shady Russian drug lab. That was only after Oliver took the liberty of waking her up, if only briefly, to remind her not to let anyone into the room while they were gone. She'd replied with a sleepy, sarcastic, "Yes, Dad." After her uncomfortable encounter with Isaak Petrov yesterday, Felicity really didn't need to be told twice.

Once the tour was over, Petrov had given Oliver the information he promised. They had blueprints of the compound, names of guards, a couple of shoddy surveillance photos and a list of the places on the island that Merlyn liked to frequent. It was a solid start, but what Oliver really needed was a better view of the activity at the compound. Lucky for him, Felicity had come prepared with plenty of fun, high-tech gadgets-mini cameras included.

Diggle helped steady her. "You okay?"

"I'm fabulous," Felicity sarcastically mumbled as she finished setting up the small hidden camera. "I've got one camera left." She looked to Oliver. "Where do you want it?"

Glancing around, Oliver pointed to a tall tree ten feet away. "I need one higher up."

Felicity gulped as she took in its looming height. "Right."

"I'll do it," Oliver offered, picking up on her trepidation. He remembered her fear of heights that she'd mentioned on the plane.

They walked over to the tree with Diggle trailing behind to keep a lookout. Oliver took the case of equipment and started to climb.

"Be careful," Felicity called after him.

Her concern made him smirk. "I was stranded on an island remember? This is nothing." Hell, he'd scaled rooftops higher than this.

"Whatever you say, Tarzan." Oliver shook his head as he grabbed on to another branch and easily hoisted himself up. That Salmon ladder was obviously paying off for him, Felicity noted. His athleticism never ceased to amaze her.

When Oliver found a good vantage point, he pulled out the mini drill and started to set up the camera. He quietly called down to her when he was finished. Felicity turned on her tablet to make sure the video feed was working. "Frack," she groaned when the screen was blank.

"Technical difficulties?" Diggle surmised.

"Oliver, I'm getting nothing."

Oliver attempted to adjust the camera and wriggle the lens. "Now?"

"Nope. Nothing." Reluctantly, she handed her tablet over to Diggle and approached the base of the tree. "I can't believe I'm doing this." She was going to have to climb up and check the wiring herself. The camera was so small that it would take a trained eye to figure it out.

Diggle gave her a helpful boost as Oliver met her halfway. She grabbed onto his hand and let him guide her the rest of the way up. Once they'd reached the camera, he maneuvered her in front of him so that she was pressed between Oliver and the tree. The frightening height wasn't the only reason for her lightheadedness as she felt his strong, hard chest brush against her back.

Doing her best to keep her voice steady, Felicity instructed, "I need a flashlight and some pliers." Oliver grabbed them from the case and placed them in her hands. Felicity got to work quickly. If it got any darker, the illumination from the flashlight would be that much more noticeable. Plus, she really wanted to get out of that damn tree.

"Okay, I think I got it," Felicity proudly announced. "You're going to have to see if Diggle's giving us the thumbs up, because I'm pretty sure I'll puke if I look down."

He patted her hip in confirmation. "He says we're good."

Oh, it felt good alright. "Uh huh," was all she managed to say.

"You ready to go back down?"

Felicity squeezed her eyes shut and took a shallow breath. "Um...no," she squeaked.

"You'll be fine. I'll help you," Oliver reassured her. He had Felicity shift so that she was facing him and part of her body was leaning on his. "Felicity, hold on to me tight."

Felicity laughed nervously. "I imagined you saying that under different circumstances." Oliver looked up at that. Realizing what exactly she'd blurted out, Felicity hastily added, "Very platonic circumstances." Maybe she should just let herself fall, since she wanted to die of embarrassment anyway.

Oliver, keeping his promise, guided her the whole way down. Once they were several feet off of the ground, he jumped down. Felicity, needing to get a little lower, stepped onto another branch. It must not have been the right move, because she heard a snapping sound before her body went flying. She closed her eyes tight and let out a small yelp, totally prepared to hit the hard dirt. The impact never came as she landed in Oliver's strong, outstretched arms instead.

"Whoa," she breathed. "Nice reflexes."

"You okay?" Oliver asked, concerned.

Felicity nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. This was the closest she'd been to Oliver since that night they'd danced, and it felt just as good now as it did then. It wasn't until Diggle lightly cleared his throat that they both realized they'd been staring and he still hadn't put her down.

Once Felicity's feet were firmly set on the ground, the two pulled apart. Oliver then muttered for them to stay put while he did one more sweep of the perimeter. She watched him grab his bow and arrows-he'd had to bribe someone at the airport not to check his luggage just to sneak it aboard- before taking off.

"What?" Felicity said when Diggle caught her staring after Oliver.

"I didn't say anything," Diggle innocently replied.

Felicity crossed her arms over her chest and mumbled under her breath, "You, technically, didn't _have_ to."

Diggle shrugged with that knowing look in his eyes and the hint of a smile. For someone with his mouth shut, he was speaking volumes.

* * *

Letting out a yawn, Oliver rubbed his eyes and continued to stare at the computer screen. It was nearly midnight. Normally, Oliver wouldn't consider that late at all but after waking up so early that morning, his body was starting to crash. Felicity had set him up with the feed from the cameras, and Oliver wanted to watch as much as he could tonight.

Oliver had been so engrossed in the video that he barely noticed Diggle placing a cup of coffee down next to him. "Thanks."

"Felicity said she's recording this if you want to take a break."

"Not yet. I think I've about got their security routine down." It was more than studying the guards that had Oliver concerned. He had yet to see a glimpse of Merlyn in any of the footage. He didn't doubt that Merlyn was inside the compound-the Bratva wouldn't have gotten that information wrong-but the estate was huge, and Oliver needed to get a hint of where Merlyn spent most of his time inside. He needed to figure out the best way to get to his target while minimizing Merlyn's chance of escape. There was also the Dark Archer to take into consideration. Oliver couldn't be sure if the man had accompanied Merlyn to Corto Maltese.

Oliver's phone went off. It was another text from Tommy. There had been an electrical problem at the club, and they had to stay closed for a couple of days while it was being fixed. His best friend had also not-so-subtly asked how the trip was going. Oliver knew that Tommy was specifically referring to Felicity, but he couldn't help but think of Merlyn. His conversation with Felicity on the flight to Corto Maltese replayed in his mind. For a second, Oliver questioned why he was really doing this. That was all it took for the doubt and guilt of lying to his best friend to take hold and fester. It was the last thing he needed right now.

As if sensing his discontent, Diggle questioned, "What's on your mind, Oliver?"

Oliver glanced at Felicity from his spot on the balcony. She was laying down on one of the long couches in the living room. She'd been watching some romantic comedy earlier, but it looked as if she'd dozed off halfway through. Her breathing was calm and steady. Even in sleep she looked at peace.

"Do you think I'm wrong, Diggle?"

"What do you mean?"

"Felicity asked me if I would be able to face Tommy every day knowing I'd killed his father. She said letting the ends justify the means is the first step to becoming him."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Because I don't know. I..." he struggled to put his jumbled thoughts into words. "After my mother's death, I guess I became so obsessed with finding Merlyn that I didn't really think about it like that. Now we've tracked him down, and I'm so close...but I can't get her words out of my head." Oliver rubbed his hands over his face in frustration. "Do you think she's right?"

"Yes. But so are you. The truth is there is no right answer, Oliver," Diggle explained. " At this point, it's not about who Merlyn is or what he's done. Merlyn is Tommy's father, and he's a murderer. Plain and simple. What you need to decide is who you are and what you can live with. If you can't kill him and want to take him back to Starling, then that's fine. But we're both soldiers, and we know that sometimes tough decisions need to be made. If you face that man and you know deep down that the threat of letting him live is too great, then you do what you have to do. Either way, I've got your back, man."

Oliver met his friend's stare and saw the honesty and understanding of what he said reflecting back at him. The anxiety Oliver felt lessened, despite not knowing what exactly he was going to do. What was important was that he had the support of his partner. "Thanks, John."

Diggle gave him a pat on the back before glancing over at Felicity's sleeping form. "Women have a way of complicating things."

It wasn't all women, Oliver thought to himself. Just Felicity. When Oliver had been on Lian Yu, someone once told him that he wasn't the first man to learn the hard way that women were a distraction. He'd been talking about Shado at the time, but it had also made Oliver think about the picture of Laurel he had in his pocket. After a while, Oliver had stopped looking at it altogether. His focus couldn't be on home or the ones he'd left behind. Surviving was what mattered. Oliver cared about Shado, but there were parts of himself he'd managed to conceal from her, too. No matter where he was or what he was doing, the mission had to come first.

Since returning to Starling, Oliver only had a couple of real relationships. None had lasted long. He supposed part of the problem was that The Arrow always took precedence over Oliver Queen. Juggling two identities was difficult, but the line was clearly drawn between the two. No matter how much he'd cared for those women, Oliver never let himself become distracted.

Felicity was different. It could be that she was the first woman he'd let see both sides of himself. Technically, her knowing the truth had more to do with Felicity's brilliant research skills than Oliver voluntarily opening up. She'd been the one to expose him, and not the other way around. Regardless, Oliver asking her to become a part of the team, even just temporarily, was a big step for him. He'd learned the hard way over the years what happened when you put your trust in the wrong people. Not even his own parents had been who Oliver thought they were.

Oliver knew the team dynamics would change with the addition of Felicity, but he hadn't anticipated just how much. It went beyond her technical skills and bubbly personality. Oliver found that he valued her opinion, despite their differences. When Felicity spoke, Oliver couldn't help but listen. She just had this way of cutting through the noise and shining a light on what really mattered. Oliver couldn't remember the last time anyone had thought, let alone challenged him to be better. There was a constant push and pull between them, of which Oliver was very aware. He didn't know what it meant, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Oliver had told Diggle that he couldn't afford any entanglements, and he still believed that. Felicity said that his soul deserved to be protected, and that's what Oliver was doing. They simply disagreed on the "how" of it.

Diggle, in that uncanny way of his, seemed to know exactly what Oliver was thinking. "Complications are not always a bad thing."

Oliver looked back at Felicity. She'd shifted positions but continued to sleep soundly. "They're not just bad," he said, thinking of Petrov's interest in her yesterday and how much it had bothered him. The thought of Petrov laying so much as a finger on her made Oliver want to break the guy's neck. He would do it, too, if it meant keeping her safe. The realization haunted him. "They're dangerous."


	11. Chapter 11

**Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! One thing I'm grateful for this year is all of your comments and support for this story. So thank you! Hope you're all having a wonderful holiday and will enjoy this next chapter.  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

"Why are we doing this again?"

"Because we were invited."

"And we can't say no because..."

"If we say no to another Bratva leader, it's considered an insult. And if Petrov thinks we're insulting him, then we can probably kiss our chances of leaving this country alive good-bye."

"Oh, that's comforting," Felicity said as she fidgeted with her dress once more. They were on their way down to the hotel casino. Petrov had sent them an invitation that morning to be his special guests tonight. Felicity really didn't want to go, but Oliver insisted that it was necessary. "And here I thought you could take him."

"Well, I can," Oliver amended. "But Petrov would still be insulted and the last thing we need is him poking further into our business to get even."

Diggle, adjusting his tie, added, "Most likely he wants to seal the deal on his drugs."

Felicity glanced between the two of them and shook her head. "Wow, that makes me feel so much better. You guys really need to work on your pep talks."

"My connection with the Bratva is valuable. It wouldn't be smart to cut ties." Oliver placed a hand on her arm to still her movements. "Besides, we'll be fine."

The surety in his stare calmed her slightly. Felicity let her hands fall down by her sides and took a deep breath. "If you say so." She really didn't like Petrov, and the idea of spending the night with him and his cronies gave her the creeps.

"Hey," Oliver said, recapturing her attention. "Trust me."

She offered him a small smile in return. "I do." Of that much she was sure. Felicity held his gaze for a moment longer before staring at her reflection in the elevator doors. She'd decided on a short, sleeveless black dress. A see-through, beaded lace trim went along the hem and across the chest to create another set of straps that fell below her shoulders. Her hair was completely up in an intricate bun with a side braid. Several small, jeweled pins glittered among the strands. To complete the look, she wore silver heels and long, sparkly earrings.

They were almost to the ground floor when Diggle cleared his throat. It sounded natural, but Oliver knew exactly what he was trying to hint at. Oliver had been avoiding it all day, because they'd spent most of their time in the suite monitoring Merlyn's compound and solidifying their plan. Now that they would be among people again, Oliver couldn't put it off any longer.

"Felicity," Oliver said casually.

"Yes?" Her attention was on her phone, so she didn't look up.

Feeling Diggle nudge him when he hesitated, Oliver reached into his pocket and finally pulled out the small velvet box. This was starting to become a habit. He'd done this more in one month than in his entire life.

"You should put this on before the doors open," he rushed out and practically shoved the box at her.

Felicity shifted back, startled by the swiftness of the gesture. She opened the box, and her eyes widened. It was a large, princess-cut diamond ring surrounded by smaller diamonds along the sides and band. It was beautiful. "Um..." For once, Felicity was speechless.

"You might've been right about the whole ring thing," Oliver gruffly replied, continuing to stare ahead.

Felicity shot a questioning look to Diggle. "It'll help with the cover story," he agreed and pointed to the screen showing the quickly descending floors.

Carefully taking it out of the box, Felicity slid it onto her left ring finger. Oliver must've made the right guess about the size, because it was a perfect fit. "Whoa," she whispered as the diamond facets shined in the light. "We are going to be best friends."

"It's just for tonight," Oliver reminded her.

"Of course," she casually scoffed. "I knew that." This was all for show. Oliver's sudden and uncharacteristic awkwardness was proof enough. It was so much more than attending a charity event and pretending to be friends. Tonight, they actually had to carry out the illusion of being a married couple. The ring was nothing more than a prop to serve that purpose. And yet, the weight of it on her finger made Felicity's stomach feel like it was doing somersaults.

The elevator dinged when they reached the ground floor, and the doors opened. Diggle, in bodyguard mode, took the lead and went out first. Briefly, Oliver met Felicity's eye before offering her his arm. She took it as they walked out into the main lobby together. The casino portion of the hotel was right around the corner. The sound of boisterous patrons and slot machines grew louder as they got closer.

"So, are we getting in a few games of Lucky 7's first or going straight for Petrov?" Felicity inquired once they entered the large, open area.

"We'll do a sweep of the room. He may have invited us, but we don't have to look so eager to be in his company."

"Fine by me."

"Lots of security," Diggle noted.

"It is a casino," Felicity pointed out.

"True but they're not with the hotel. This is personal security."

"Makes sense. There are lots of high-ranking Bratva officials here," Oliver explained. "With the rebels and instability of the region, they can't be too careful."

"God, I miss Starling. Not something I actually thought I'd ever say," Felicity mumbled, mostly to herself. The constant sunshine and heat their first day in Corto Maltese had been great. The longer they stayed in the country, however, the more Felicity sensed the growing danger around them. She was glad that they only had one more day before Oliver went after Merlyn. The sooner they left this corrupt island the better.

"How are you at Black Jack?" Oliver questioned her as they approached one of the card tables.

"I'd say I'm pretty good. I can totally count cards."

Oliver bit back a grin. "You might not want to say that too loud."

"Good to know," Diggle interjected. "I should invite you to my next poker night with some of my army buddies. My friend Bill wins so often, I swear he's marking the cards."

Felicity laughed. "There is actually a really cool trick to figure out the probability-"

"Guys," Oliver cut in to keep their focus.

"Sorry," Felicity apologized and tried to get her game face back on. Several sets of eyes followed their movements, no doubt curious about the rich couple currently inhabiting the presidential suite. The most notable stares came from women eyeing Oliver. Felicity couldn't really blame them. Despite the fact that the guy was an expert at looking good in a tux, he had a very commanding presence.

After doing a sweep of the room, Oliver took a seat at the Black Jack table in an effort to blend in. Diggle continued to scan the room while Felicity stood behind Oliver, portraying the "supportive wife." After watching Oliver play a few hands and lose, Felicity decided to step in. She didn't really consider counting cards cheating, since the casinos did everything they could to ensure that people lost anyway. If she had the talent, why not use it? Sticking it to Petrov was a mere bonus.

Felicity's hand rested on his shoulder as she leaned in to whisper in Oliver's ear, "If I rub your back, it means take the hit. If I tap it, it means hold. I'll do it on and off, so it's not so obvious." Her smile as she pulled away was flirty and affectionate. Oliver placed his hand over hers on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze in confirmation. Any bystanders would get the impression that it was nothing more than an intimate moment between the couple.

Once he let go, she moved closer to Oliver and slid her hand down his back. It took a concentrated effort to ignore the hard muscle under her fingertips and pay attention to the shuffling cards. Felicity let him play a couple more hands before she rubbed his back. Sure enough, it was the first game he won. For the next half hour, Felicity alternated giving him signals. He lost a couple of games to not ruse suspicion, but Felicity made sure that he won back an equal or greater amount.

"Mr. and Mrs. King," came a booming voice behind them. They turned to find Petrov and a young woman, along with his usual security goons, standing a few feet away. "So glad you could make it."

"Thank you for inviting us," Oliver smoothly replied. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Diggle move closer to Felicity. Oliver stood to flank her other side.

Petrov eyed Oliver's pile of chips. "You've done well tonight."

Oliver shrugged as if it was no big deal. "You caught me during a winning streak. I wasn't so lucky earlier this evening."

"Luck is in the eye of the beholder. You can't really be losing if you've got such a beautiful woman beside you."

Suppressing the urge to cringe, Felicity smiled politely at the compliment. She would play her part and get through the night. They were a team, and Oliver and Diggle were depending on her.

Oliver responded by winding an arm around Felicity's waist and pulling her into his side. Her body was tense, but she managed to relax against him. "That's very true." Her left hand landed on his chest, and he saw Petrov scrutinizing the ring there.

The woman next to Petrov nudged him. "Forgive me," Petrov said. "I am being rude. This is my daughter, Malia. Malia, meet Jonas and Megan King."

Malia was tall with long, straight black hair. Felicity thought she looked like a softer version of her father-much prettier, too. She could easily be a model with the pronounced angles of her face and thin, wispy figure. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. King," she said with the same thick accent. Coming from her with that husky voice, it sounded seductive. "My father has told me all about you."

Oliver returned the sentiment as Felicity waited for Malia to acknowledge her presence. Within seconds it became apparent that Felicity was of no concern to her, as the young woman barely spared her a glance. Felicity strained to keep a smile on her face despite the slight. She got the feeling Petrov knew that they weren't an actual married couple and must've told his daughter. On the other hand, the way Malia was looking at Oliver, Felicity got the distinct impression that the woman couldn't give a damn either way.

"Come. We can sit and chat in my private seating area." Petrov pointed to a roped-off, round booth in the corner. It would seem obscure to passersby but gave the sitting party a plain view of the entire room.

When Oliver offered to let Felicity slide in first, she discreetly shook her head. She preferred to be on the end, as far away from Petrov and Malia as possible. Like Petrov's security, Diggle continued to stand. He picked a spot only a couple of feet away from Felicity that allowed him to watch the room while listening in on the conversation.

Felicity didn't say much as Oliver and Petrov made small talk. A couple of other men, who only seemed to speak Russian, joined them. From that moment on, Felicity didn't understand a word anyone was saying. That didn't stop Petrov, though, from looking at her like he could see right through her dress. Even more annoying was the way Malia kept laughing and leaning in to speak to Oliver. Somehow she'd managed to be seated right next to him.

The annoyance turned up a notch when Oliver, and everyone else at the table, laughed at something Malia had said in return. It was a good thing they were only pretending to be a couple or else Felicity would've been really put out that Oliver didn't even try to include her in the conversation. Only once did she think she heard her name come up, to which Oliver placed his hand on her knee and kept talking.

A couple of minutes later, she felt his fingers gently brushing against her skin. The light caress radiated up her body, sending a tingly heat through her veins. Felicity was having a hard time focusing on anything but his touch-not that she could understand a damn word they were saying anyway. The euphoria, however, didn't last long. When Malia shifted from leaning in to Oliver to landing a few light touches, Felicity felt a completely different kind of heat spread through her. Did the woman not see his wife-albeit fake but at least show a little propriety-sitting right next to him? And what the heck was Oliver doing encouraging it? Why give Felicity a stupid ring for this ruse if he wasn't going to play the part himself?

Felicity snuck a peek at Diggle. He must've detected her discomfort, because he discreetly tilted his head toward the exit. He would take her back to the suite if she wanted. Watching Malia flip her hair and lean forward-giving both her and Oliver the perfect view of her exposed cleavage-Felicity decided she'd had enough. She'd just grabbed her purse and started to slide away when she felt Oliver's grip on her knee tighten.

"Where are you going?" It was the first time he'd spoken in English in what felt like forever. The jerk.

"Back to the room."

Oliver's confusion appeared genuine. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she sweetly replied, forcing a carefree smile. "It's been a long day, and I'm tired."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No." It came out with a little more force than she'd intended. Regaining her composure, Felicity assured him, "I'll be fine. J.D. can take me. You stay." Felicity made sure to thank Petrov for the lovely evening. She then leaned over to press a quick kiss to Oliver's cheek-it seemed like something a wife would do-and stood up before she could register his reaction.

Felicity let Diggle escort her out of the casino, feeling a little bit lighter with each step. When they got back to the suite, Diggle also asked if she was okay. Felicity was much kinder in her response to him and said she'd be all right. It was just a headache from staring at a screen all day. Diggle knew it was a total lie but was nice enough not to call her on it.

After he left, Felicity let out the frustrated groan she'd been holding in. She kicked off her heels and pulled the pins out of her hair. Placing her hands on her hips, she began to pace. Felicity didn't quite know what the heck was wrong with her. Oliver didn't belong to her. They weren't dating and certainly weren't married. They were partners and sort-of friends, plain and simple. There was no reason for her to be so jeal-exasperated. Yes, that was it. She was exasperated. Although, it was his stupid idea to pretend to be a married couple. As his fake wife, and on behalf of women everywhere, shouldn't Felicity be bothered by his thoughtless behavior? Did he really think that a simple caress would be enough to placate her while another woman was shamelessly throwing herself at him?

Maybe what really bothered her was that it didn't seem like him. At least not the man she'd come to know. Oliver had stood up for Felicity against Laurel, who he actually cared about. He'd practically chased off Ray when he'd asked her to dance. He'd called her father and Cooper fools for hurting her. Felicity just assumed that when it came to a perfect stranger, Oliver would have her back. Unless that was the reason right there. Oliver didn't have a past with Malia, and the woman definitely wasn't shy about expressing her attraction to him. They could have a quick tryst without any attachments, since they'd probably never see each other again. Oliver had no one to answer to but himself.

"What happens in Corto Maltese stays in Corto Maltese," Felicity huffed in disgust. She took the diamond ring off her finger and placed it on the coffee table. She needed to clear her head and regroup, which obviously wasn't happening being trapped in the suite. Hearing the soft call of the ocean from the balcony, Felicity had her answer. A nice, long walk on the beach with some fresh air would do her some good. Even better, Felicity sure as hell wouldn't be waiting there for Oliver when he got back.

* * *

" _You have to visit the caves while you're here. They are truly a sight to behold_ ," Malia said in her native tongue. " _The hot springs inside are to die for._ "

" _Sounds nice_ ," Oliver replied as he took a sip of his drink.

" _The best part is that not many tourists know about them._ " Malia looked to her father, who was talking with one of his comrades, and lowered her voice, " _There is very little chance of interruption-especially at night_." If he happened to miss the innuendo in her words, the seductive smile she sent him made up for it.

It wasn't the first pass Malia had made at Oliver tonight. He'd tried to take it in stride so as not to rock the boat with Petrov, but she was grating on him. Oliver knew exactly what was going on. The reason why Petrov had introduced his daughter at all was to dangle her in front of Oliver and see if he'd take the bait. He either really wanted to close this deal or stir up trouble for him and Felicity. The first option was a bust, but the latter had probably worked.

Oliver could tell that something was off with Felicity when she'd made up that excuse about being tired and abruptly left. He wanted nothing more than to join her, but she'd insisted that he stay. Oliver couldn't argue without it looking odd. When Diggle returned, Oliver sent him a questioning glance. The grim expression he shot back put Oliver more on edge. It was difficult to pay attention to the conversation afterward, with his thoughts being consumed by the petite blonde. Oliver would indulge Petrov and Malia for ten more minutes before he excused himself. Glancing at his watch, he was finally nearing the mark.

" _It's not far from here_ ," Malia practically purred. " _I could give you a tour._ "

"Thank you for the offer," Oliver replied, switching to English so Diggle could understand, "but I need to head back to the room."

"You're leaving? So soon?" Petrov inquired, tuning back in to their conversation.

"I need to check on Megan."

"She said she was tired. She's probably already asleep." Malia touched his arm. "Doesn't mean you have to cut your night short."

Petrov gestured to Oliver's half-empty glass. "You haven't even finished your drink."

"Thank you for tonight, but I really must go." Oliver slid out of the booth before Petrov could protest and Malia could latch on to him again. "I'll be in touch."

"Well, that was fun," Diggle commented once they were in the elevator.

"I'd rather be in a board meeting."

Diggle smirked. "Now that's saying something."

"Did Felicity say anything to you when you brought her back?" Oliver wanted to get a feel for her mood before he spoke to her.

"She said she had a headache."

"She's probably asleep then." They'd all been working hard to put the finishing touches on the plan, but it was Felicity who was constantly researching and sorting through information for them. Oliver knew firsthand how draining it could be, and he didn't even have half the technical skills that Felicity did. He could wait to check on her in the morning. She needed her rest.

"Possibly. But she was also lying," Diggle revealed.

Oliver frowned. "Why would she lie?"

His partner raised his broad shoulders in a shrug. "I'll let her be the one to answer that." Despite Diggle knowing more than he was letting on, Oliver knew why he wasn't getting involved. It was better to go to the source.

As soon as they entered the suite, Oliver took his tuxedo jacket off and threw it over the couch. "Felicity," he called out. There was no response. He called her name once more while walking to her room. The door was wide open and the bed was still made. He checked the balcony next, but it was empty. "Diggle, she's not here," Oliver said as the worry took hold of him. He dialed her phone, but it went straight to voicemail.

Numerous scenarios began to play out in Oliver's mind. The most obvious one involved Petrov and Malia distracting him downstairs while one of his "associates" targeted Felicity. Oliver was about to go back down to the casino to demand what the hell was going on when Diggle pointed to the coffee table. The ring Oliver had given her earlier was left there.

"I don't think she was taken," Diggle surmised.

Oliver ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Why would she leave? I specifically told her not to go anywhere alone," he ground out.

"Her phone may be off, but she always has it with her." Diggle grabbed one of the laptops and turned it on.

Oliver caught on to his train of thought. "We can trace it." It took a couple of minutes for Diggle to log in to Felicity's tracking program. "Diggle," Oliver pressed.

"Hey, man, this is not my thing...aha!" he finally exclaimed. "I got her. It looks like she's on the beach on the other side of the hotel."

"I'll go and get her. If her location changes, let me know." Oliver was out the door in seconds and didn't give a damn about the looks he was getting as he charged through the hotel. He scanned the beach, but it was difficult to make out anything in the dark. He walked in the direction he'd last seen her signal and breathed a sigh of relief when he eventually spotted her small form near an empty lounge area. Felicity hadn't changed out of her dress, but her hair was down and blowing in the breeze. She sat with her arms resting on her extended legs and her feet buried in the sand.

"You shouldn't be out here by yourself," Oliver admonished while approaching her. "This area is dangerous."

She looked over at him, startled. "How'd you find me?"

"You're not the only one who knows how to use mobile GPS."

"Right. Well, congratulations. You've tracked me down," she sarcastically declared. "Now leave me alone."

"I'm taking you back to the room."

Felicity countered, "I'm not ready to go back."

"Then I'm not leaving," Oliver stubbornly retorted. He folded his arms and planted his feet in the sand. If she thought he would budge, she had another thing coming.

"Shouldn't you be back inside chatting it up with Malia? I thought you'd be gone for at least a couple of hours."

"No. Why would I be?"

"Oh, I don't know." Felicity stood up to face him and pretended to think about it. "Probably because you were having so much fun muttering sweet Russian nothings into each other's ears all night."

"What?" Oliver exclaimed, taken aback.

"I might not have understood a word any of you were saying-thanks for not translating for me, by the way-but it was totally obvious that she was into you. Don't deny it."

"I'm not denying it, but that doesn't mean I was into it."

Felicity scoffed. "Could've fooled me."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Oliver demanded, not getting where she was going with this "It was clearly a setup by Petrov, Felicity. There's no need to be jealous."

Her eyes narrowed at the accusation. "I am _not_ jealous," she denied.

"Really? Because you sure sound like it. It's not like we're actually married."

"Oh my God, I know!" Felicity exclaimed in exasperation. "This has nothing to do with jealousy, Oliver. You can flirt with whoever you damn well please. This is all about you concocting a whole marriage ruse, making me play the part and then making me feel like a completely useless idiot!" She poked at his chest. "Petrov already gives me the creeps, and I really did not want to meet up with him tonight. But because you said we had to, I sucked it up-assuming you would have my back.

"So what happens? The guy makes eyes at me, introduces his horrible snob of a daughter and the next thing I know, I'm sitting at a table with a bunch of Russian criminals not knowing what the hell is going on. And since you couldn't be bothered to include me in the conversation, I had to sit there-with Petrov still making moon eyes at me and his daughter treating me like dirt-being completely clueless like some ditsy trophy wife.

"Except I'm sure a ditsy trophy wife's 'husband' would at least do her the courtesy of not flirting with some vixen right in front of her. Because that would totally come off disrespectful. Add the fact that I've been working my butt off all day to make sure you don't get killed tomorrow when you enter a fortified compound to face off with an evil mass murderer, and maybe you can see why I'd be annoyed. But obviously I must have my priorities screwed up, because the real danger is me walking alone on a beach. So fine, you've saved me. Please, lead the way, Oliver!" Felicity proclaimed, throwing her hands up and trying to catch her breath after her rant. She hadn't actually planned on saying all of that. Moments prior Felicity had decided to let it all go and focus on completing their mission to get Merlyn. But when Oliver had charged at her in that stubborn, condescending way of his, her calm went right out the window. The man truly had a gift in getting under her skin.

"You're right," Oliver said after a beat of silence. "I'm sorry." Apologizing wasn't something he did often, but he was two for two in the last three days. Just like he hadn't been totally upfront about his plans with Merlyn, he also hadn't completely filled Felicity in on the Petrov situation. He hadn't realized how much his actions had upset her earlier and for that he was contrite.

Oliver met her fierce, crystal gaze and carried on, "I didn't mean to make you feel out of place. The truth is I warned Petrov off you a couple of days ago, and he really didn't like it. I suspect tonight he was simply trying to make things as uncomfortable as possible between us, which is why he brought Malia along. I only went along with it to keep things civil. As for the language barrier, I didn't translate on purpose because we were discussing Bratva dealings. I made it very clear to Petrov that you also were not to be involved in that. It may have seemed thoughtless, but it was for your safety. Knowing the details would make you a liability and a target. When you weren't in the suite, I was worried that maybe Petrov had tried something with you."

Felicity bit her lip and looked down at the sand, feeling a little sheepish about going off on Oliver like she did. He was ultimately trying to keep her safe. Her key point, nevertheless, remained the same. "A heads-up next time would be nice, Oliver. How are we supposed to be a team if you don't tell me all of the details?"

"I realize that, and I'm working on it," he admitted, giving her a hopeful look. "So...are we okay?"

Felicity pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry that I took off and made you worry. I just needed to clear my head."

"Even if you don't want to talk to me, at least take Diggle," he urged.

"I will. Although I'm hoping I won't be needing to avoid you in the near future," she teased.

Oliver grinned. "That makes two of us."

"Do you mind if we stay here another minute?" Felicity was glad that they'd worked things out, but she wasn't ready to go back to the hotel just yet. It was so quiet and peaceful on the beach. She craved the reprieve a little longer.

"We can stay as long as you like."

Felicity gave him a small, grateful smile and sat once more in the sand. Oliver followed suit, leaving a few inches of space between them. Looking out at the vast ocean and how it rolled back in to break against the sand, Felicity commented, "Aside from the mafia, fugitives and civil unrest, it really is kind of beautiful here."

Oliver couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, it is."

"Does it bother you?" At his questioning glance, she elaborated, "Being on an island or beach again?"

"Not really. In a way it sort of feels like home. Good or bad, Lian Yu was my home for the longest time."

Felicity watched Oliver stare off into the horizon, lost in the memory of the island. What she wouldn't give to know what he was thinking. He was always such a mystery and if there was one thing Felicity loved to do, it was solve them. "I have another question."

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't."

She playfully nudged him at his teasing. Thinking about her question, she became serious. "Why did you decide to become The Arrow? I get that you want to protect your city and all, but something had to inspire you."

Oliver swallowed the lump in his throat. It was never easy talking about his past, but he'd managed to open up to Felicity the other day. It was a solid first step. One that, coupled with Felicity's sincerity, allowed him to build off of it now. "I told you about my father," he began. "Before he died, he tried to tell me that he wasn't the man I thought he was. That he didn't build our city but had failed it. He wanted me to survive so that I could right his wrongs. Just before I buried him on the island, I found a small book in his pocket. It had a list of names in it. Some of them I recognized as family friends or business associates of my father. Others were rich, prominent figures in Starling but corrupt. My father he...he left me a message that explained that everyone on the list, in some way, was responsible for failing the city."

"A message how?" Felicity interjected, confused. "Was it in the book, too?

"Not exactly." He pressed on, "What's important is that he opened my eyes to what was really going on. It's how I chose my targets last year-by the list. Unfortunately, I didn't know that it all led up to the Undertaking until it was too late."

Felicity thought she understood. "So you became The Arrow to honor your father."

"There are many reasons, Felicity, but you asked what initially inspired me. That was it. My time on the island didn't necessarily make me what I am so much as it scraped away what I wasn't," Oliver explained. "When I decided to come home, I had no intention of letting my father's death be in vain."

"Well, I for one am grateful for The Arrow." She smiled and looked up at the night sky. The stars shone so much brighter when they weren't near a city. "Did you know there's a constellation called the Archer? Well, technically, it's Sagittarius-that's Latin for the Archer." Her eyes searched the stars until she found it. "Right there."

Oliver followed her finger but was having trouble making it out. "Where?"

"It's the group of stars that look like a teapot."

Oliver frowned. "Why would an archer look like a teapot?"

Felicity laughed and grabbed his hand, pointing it at the constellation. "I think it's really supposed to represent a centaur. That's what Sagittarius was in Greek mythology. The brighter stars actually make up the bow and arrow."

"Ah, I see it."

"It's actually most visible where we are now." Felicity pointed out a couple more nearby constellations while she and Oliver jokingly argued about what they really looked like.

"How do you know so much about this stuff?" he asked her.

"Aside from building computers as a child, I liked to stargaze." At Oliver's raised brow, she admitted, "Yes, I was a total nerd. Moving on...I used to get a sleeping bag and just plop down in the backyard and stare up at the sky. I found it fascinating that the universe was so huge and would dream about undiscovered planets and cool creatures I'd only seen in Sci-Fi movies. Basically, I wished I could be anywhere but where I was."

"Did you and your mom get along?"

"Yes and no. She loved me, but we were very different. We still are. It was hard to relate to her or even any of the other kids my age. Sometimes being 'gifted' sucks. I didn't really embrace it until I got the chance to go to MIT," she recounted. "Suddenly I was around others who were like me-though some were much more awkward-and I could just be myself. It was the first place I felt like I truly fit in." Her expression became somber. "They were the best years of my life until I created that virus."

"Felicity," Oliver said, "whatever experiences you had to go through, I'm glad that you did. They made you the person you are today. I wouldn't have been able to pull any of this off without you."

"That's what worries me," Felicity confessed. "I couldn't stop Cooper before it was too late." She kept going before Oliver could object. "I'm not saying you're him, Oliver. Because you're not. But I do recognize that blind determination pushing you forward. Brother Eye was Cooper's crusade the way that Malcolm Merlyn is yours."

"I'm not doing this out of greed, Felicity."

"No, but it is revenge-despite your noble intentions," Felicity challenged. "Oliver, you told me that taking a life means sacrificing a piece of your own soul. While I don't doubt the toll it takes, I refuse to believe that this is your only choice."

"Felicity," Oliver thoughtfully began, "to do what I do takes conviction. But more often than not, it's the will to do what is ugly. Every time I do that, yes, I'm trading away little pieces of myself. The part that I'm trading away is Oliver Queen but if that's what I need to do to be The Arrow, then so be it."

"No offense, Oliver, but I think you're full of crap." Felicity didn't realize how close they'd gotten while talking, and she didn't pull back. Their eyes met and held. "You've convinced yourself that everything you've been through took away your humanity. But I think that it's _because_ of your humanity that you made it through. You wouldn't have _survived_ , much less come out the other end a _hero_ -somebody who wants to do good-if you didn't have a light inside of you."

"Is that really what you see?" His voice was quiet and unusually tentative.

"Yes," she replied with conviction.

The majority of his life Oliver spent defying everyone's expectations until they learned not to expect anything at all. Sometimes he still had to do that to guard his dual identity, and that was okay. The Arrow didn't care. It was Oliver Queen that took the hit and sometimes, unfortunately, it left him feeling empty. Felicity, in this instance, wasn't talking about The Arrow. She was more concerned with Oliver Queen, and he couldn't remember a time, if ever, someone had fought so fiercely to protect him.

A cool breeze swept past them and ruffled Felicity's hair. Absently, Oliver's hand reached up to push it back behind her ear. It then slid down to cup her face. Felicity's eyes closed for a moment as she leaned into his touch. They were so close that Oliver could feel her soft breath on his lips. Her nose lightly brushed his, and he felt the pull between them intensify. It was like an invisible tether existed between them, drawing them in.

Oliver eliminated the space between them, stopping just shy of her lips. He would only take what she was willing to give. It was everything, because Felicity closed the rest of the distance and pressed her lips to his. They paused for a moment, shocked and awed by the new connection and sensation of emotions. Then his mouth moved gently against hers, and Felicity responded in kind.

Warmth radiated from the kiss and where his hand cradled her face. Felicity felt it all the way down to her toes. One of her hands trailed up Oliver's arm and fisted his shirt. It was an effort to both steady herself and bring him closer. She'd experienced a few good first kisses, but nothing like this. Nothing that managed to strip her bare and build her up at the same time.

Oliver felt the same way. Kissing Felicity was like seeing the sun for the first time. He'd grown so used to the darkness that the possibility of such light startled him, excited him. Made something he'd long thought he'd lost burn brightly back to life. It also scared the living hell out of him. The light wouldn't last. No one could stare at the sun for so long without losing their sight. When it did finally burn out, would the darkness be that much greater? Oliver felt like he was at the edge of a cliff, dangerously close to falling and not caring if he did.

Oliver abruptly pulled away, severing the connection while he still had some control. Felicity met his strained expression with a quizzical one of her own. "I'm sorry," he said gruffly. "I can't."

Felicity looked away and swallowed back a wave of tears. She didn't know if the hurt and confusion stemmed more from his actions or her own. Grabbing her shoes and standing up, Felicity headed back for the hotel. Oliver watched her and closed his eyes in regret. He'd been right about one thing. He couldn't reach for the light without being burned.


	12. Chapter 12

**So I'm honestly still fuming from last night's episode. I sort of get why Oliver lied, but the absurdity of Oliver being dishonest to the love of his life to appease a one-night stand who's lied to him for nine years has me seeing red. Really hoping the writers fix that epic mistake ASAP.**

 **Anyway, thank you all so much for your comments last chapter! I know many of you wanted to smack Oliver upside the head. Lol! Here's the next one for you. Let me know what you think!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

Felicity watched as the sun set over the horizon from the balcony. The clear, crystal blue sky was now a blazing pink and orange. It was one of the most beautiful views Felicity had ever seen. Too bad she couldn't fully enjoy it. Her mind had been a chaotic mess ever since last night.

A few weeks ago, if someone had told Felicity she'd end up on an exotic beach having a heart-to-heart with Oliver Queen before sharing a mind-blowing kiss, she would've called them crazy. It wasn't in the cards for her. Not just because Oliver Queen was supposedly out of her league-the billionaire playboy and the IT girl? Unthinkable!-but because it wasn't like Felicity to let someone get so close to her. She'd spent five years guarding her heart. Protecting herself from yet another disappointment. Apparently, all it took was one kiss from Oliver to make her defenses come crashing down. It was unnerving.

She and Oliver had returned to the hotel room last night in absolute silence and gone their separate ways. This morning, Felicity wasn't sure what to expect. There was a twinge of awkwardness when she and Oliver first laid eyes on each other at breakfast. Diggle must've noticed it, but he didn't dare say anything. It was in that moment that Felicity decided she wouldn't let what happened the night before affect their work. They were a team first and foremost and with Oliver planning to infiltrate Merlyn's compound tonight, they had much bigger things to worry about than a kiss. Oliver seemed to silently agree, because it was business as usual as they discussed their plans.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur as they took care of some last-minute details. Felicity couldn't have been more grateful for the distraction. Unfortunately, her work was now done. Oliver would be leaving soon to face Merlyn, and all Felicity was left with were nervous knots in her stomach. The uncertainty of where she and Oliver stood with each other was quickly being overshadowed by worry for his safety. This wasn't one of their usual nightly patrols to hunt down common criminals. There was so much more at stake.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes in an effort to pull herself together. They snapped back open moments later when she felt a presence behind her. Felicity didn't have to turn around to know it was Oliver. She also didn't need to ask what was going on. "You're leaving now."

"Yes."

Felicity glanced over her shoulder. "Where's Dig?"

"Finishing packing up the car."

"Do you need anything else from me?" It felt like such a loaded question.

Oliver paused before answering, "No."

"Okay. Well, good luck." Felicity tried to keep her voice light. It was the only appropriate response she could come up with. Her hands gripped the railings, she was so on edge.

"Felicity," Oliver quietly said, coming to stand next to her. "About last night..."

"You don't need to say anything, Oliver. I get it. What happens in Corto Maltese stays in Corto Maltese."

"We're still in Corto Maltese," he pointed out.

"A mere technicality," she dismissed, still unable to look at him.

"You'll be okay here by yourself?"

She frowned at him. "Oliver, I'm not a five-year-old."

"I know." There was an undertone of frustration. "That's not what I meant."

"I'll be fine."

Oliver sighed, knowing that any time a woman used the word "fine" it meant that she was anything but. He'd been wrestling with how to approach Felicity all day. This was the first moment they'd actually had alone. "I guess I'll see you later, then."

Felicity hadn't planned on saying anything else. She really hadn't. She was going to let Oliver leave and focus on his mission, because that was the priority. Her mouth, though, had other plans. "Why did you do it?" she blurted out, finally turning to face him.

Oliver stopped in the doorway. No further explanation was needed. He knew exactly what Felicity was asking him. "It wasn't planned. It just sort of happened."

"It was a mistake," Felicity stated. Her voice held a certain level of acceptance. If it weren't for the slight tremble at the end, he might've thought she believed what she said.

Oliver stood, mesmerized, at the way the fading sun behind her reflected off of the golden strands in her hair. Felicity looked bright and beautiful in her flowered sundress. It was almost as if she was glowing. The rush of emotion Oliver felt last night threatened to take hold of him once more. There were so many "ifs." If they didn't live in such a dangerous world. If there was no Malcolm Merlyn. If there was no Brother Eye. If he weren't The Arrow. If he didn't have to constantly worry about her safety. If she didn't make him want to blur the lines of his two selves. If they were just a normal man and a normal woman who happened to like each other, with no consequences whatsoever...then maybe he could've told her the truth in that moment. But that wasn't Oliver's life, and it never would be.

"Because of the life that I lead, I just think that it's better to not...be with someone that I could really care about."

Felicity, nodding, let go of the balcony and walked past him into the living room. "Well, I think..." She paused and took a second to glimpse back at him. "I think you deserve better than that." With a meaningful look, she retreated to her room and shut the door softly behind her.

* * *

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" Diggle offered. They were sitting in the car, not too far from Merlyn's compound. The pitch darkness kept them obscured from any prying eyes.

Oliver shook his head. "I have to do this myself."

"All right." He placed the comm in his ear. "Let me know if anything changes. Good luck, Oliver."

With a brief nod, Oliver got out of the car and walked toward the water tower. He was in his full Arrow gear. After surveying Merlyn's compound for a couple of days, they'd noted how all access points had two guards on duty. The best way to infiltrate the compound would be from the roof. The water tower provided the perfect jumping off point. When he was high enough, Oliver shot his cable arrow into the darkest corner of the compound. The guards would never see him coming.

Grabbing onto the cable pulley, Oliver slid down to the roof. There was a passing guard crossing in front of the roof entrance. Oliver took him out quickly and quietly before waiting for the second man to circle back. He disarmed him the same way. Entering the compound, Oliver descended a flight of stairs. They led down to a hallway.

Oliver treaded carefully, searching for any movement in the darkness. He needed to head toward the east wing. That's where Merlyn was most likely located. The surveillance cameras showed that he liked to spend time on the balcony attached to his study most nights. At the end of the hallway, a guard was stationed. Oliver took him down, but not without another guard nearby noticing. He'd just started speaking into his radio when Oliver shot an arrow at him. It must've been enough to sound the alarm, because he heard footsteps running in his direction.

Three more men engaged him. They looked a lot tougher than they fought. The first two went down easily. The last man came at Oliver with a knife. Oliver caught his arm and twisted it. The loud crack was followed by a scream of pain. He flipped him onto the other two men and punched him in the head. The man was out in seconds.

Oliver continued on, recalling the blueprint of the compound he'd memorized. The closer he got to the east wing the more guards he had to take out. A few shots were fired, but he'd managed to dodge them. Raising his bow, Oliver took out the last gunman before he could fire another round. Malcolm must definitely know by now that someone was coming for him. Oliver had to be fast or he'd lose his chance. He looked behind him at the trail of unmoving bodies. There had to be at least fifteen men. Confident that none of them would be regaining consciousness soon, Oliver pressed forward.

"I'm heading to the east wing," he murmured into his comm to Diggle, letting him know that he'd made it inside.

"The men guarding the perimeter are down," Diggle informed him. Even though Oliver wanted to take on Merlyn alone, his partner insisted that he cover the outside. Oliver couldn't argue with that. There was only one man that he needed to worry about at this point.

Oliver found the door to the study. It was locked. Merlyn would need more than that to keep him out. He forcefully kicked it open, splintering the frame to pieces. Oliver stepped inside, his bow at the ready, and stopped short. The study was dark with only the faint light from the moon to illuminate the figure standing before him. The Dark Archer stood across the room with his own loaded bow. He was dressed in all black with the majority of his face covered. Only his cold eyes were visible.

"At last we meet," he said. "You're a long way from Starling."

"Where's Merlyn?" Oliver demanded.

"What do you want with him?"

"He murdered thousands of innocent lives in the Undertaking. Among them was Moira Queen. He deserves to face justice."

"Why do you care about Moira Queen?"

"I care about everyone in my city. Now where is he?"

"You should be more concerned with me." He leveled his bow. "All it takes is one shot, and you're dead."

Oliver's eyes narrowed, focusing on his target. "Likewise." On instinct, they both released their arrows at the same time. Oliver's lightening fast reflexes kicked in as he expertly dodged the shot and dove behind a couch. The Dark Archer did the same and landed behind Merlyn's desk.

Within seconds, Oliver had another arrow at the ready. He peered into the darkness. The reflection of the Dark Archer's form in the glass balcony doors gave him an idea of where he was situated. Seeing him move to look over the desk, Oliver released his arrow. The Dark Archer shifted, so it only just grazed his arm. He shot back and forced Oliver to duck behind the couch again.

There was a loud thump and the sound of something opening. Oliver peered around the couch and saw the Dark Archer disappear into the dark opening in the bookcase. Cursing, Oliver made a split-second decision. He would follow the other archer in hopes that it would lead him to Merlyn. Even if he didn't, he could capture him and torture the location out of him. Oliver didn't have time to search the entire compound, especially since Merlyn could probably have already gotten away.

Oliver was on his guard as he stepped through the bookcase and descended the winding stairs. They led to what looked like a basement that was turned into a training facility. He walked slowly and deliberately. Out of the corner of his eye, he detected movement from the rafters. He lifted his bow and shot at the skulking figure. It looked like he might've jumped onto another beam, but it was difficult to tell in the shadows. Seconds later an arrow flew at Oliver, hitting him in the shoulder blade. The next arrow knocked the bow from his hands. Growling in pain, Oliver swiftly moved to find cover.

Breathing heavily, he yanked the arrow from his arm. His muscles burned with pain, and he clenched his jaw to keep from crying out. To make matters worse, a string of expletives were on the tip of his tongue when he saw how far away his bow had slid. The Dark Archer grabbed onto a hanging beam and swung himself down to the ground. Oliver took the opportunity to sling one of his small tranq arrows. It caught the other archer in the right arm. The man cursed and quickly pulled it out. He wouldn't retain the use of his shooting arm for long. Seeing an opportunity, Oliver stood and charged at the other man. He took him down and landed a few punches. The Dark Archer struggled but was unable to push Oliver back with his only good remaining arm.

"Where is Malcolm Merlyn?" Oliver shouted, pulling him forward and slamming him back down on the concrete. "Where is he?" The laugh that came from the other man was maniacal and only fueled the rage in Oliver's veins.

Having had enough of this wacko's games, Oliver reached to yank off the man's mask. He was not prepared for what he found. "Merlyn? You're the Dark Archer?" The shock was enough to make Oliver pause, and that's all it took.

Merlyn lashed out at Oliver's wound. The blinding pain made Oliver crumple to the side, allowing Merlyn to get away from him. While he was down, Oliver felt a kick to his back. He didn't understand how the man was able to get up. The tranq dart should've had him unconscious by now. Merlyn landed a few more kicks before turning Oliver over to punch him in the face. Oliver, in defense, kicked out at Merlyn's legs and caused him to stagger back.

Afterward, Oliver dragged himself up and faced the man who'd torn his entire world apart. "You snake." Suddenly, everything made sense. The list. The Dark Archer's role in covering up the evidence. Merlyn's uncanny ability to escape from him the first time.

"This is about more than just the Undertaking," Merlyn panted, eyeing him. "For you to come all this way, this must be personal."

"And I will personally see to it that you are dead and buried in the ground," Oliver threatened.

"You going to put me next to Moira?" he taunted, delighting in his pain. Oliver's bow was mere inches from Merlyn's feet. Following Oliver's line of sight, he walked over and slammed his foot down on top of it, snapping it in half. "Good luck avenging her now."

Oliver couldn't hold himself back after that. He couldn't let that monster go on one more second breathing. He could see it in Merlyn's eyes. He was evil and had to be stopped. Oliver engaged him a second time, and the two fought for the upper hand. Merlyn got in a couple of blows before Oliver knocked him down to the ground. He beat him until blood dripped from Merlyn's nose and mouth. Reeling his arm back, Oliver was about to land another punch when he felt something slice through his gut. He looked down to find the small tranq arrow he'd shot at Merlyn.

Smiling through a mouthful of blood, Merlyn twisted the arrow for good measure. The pain was fierce but that wasn't what Oliver feared most. He blinked as his vision started to blur. There were remnants of the powerful sedative he used still in the arrow, and they were starting to take effect.

"Not too fun, is it?" Merlyn laughed and hauled a dazed Oliver up to his feet with surprising strength. He hit him so hard that Oliver went flying backward into an unfinished wooden frame that was most likely the construction for another room. Oliver struggled to get up and found himself pushed through another set of frames. Merlyn stood over him, looking triumphant.

"Looks like it'll be you who's joining Moira tonight. But first, let's finally see who's behind the mask, shall we?" Merlyn reached down to pull back Oliver's hood. With a final burst of energy, Oliver grabbed a plank of broken wood and slammed it against Merlyn's head. The man bowled over and didn't get up.

Merlyn's crumpled form spun, making it extremely difficult for Oliver to focus on him. Oliver could feel himself starting to slip away, and there was no telling how long Merlyn would be out. Pushing through the dizziness, pain and nausea, Oliver crawled toward the basement entrance. He saw a mirage of faces in his blurred vision. Faces that had come to mean everything to him.

Oliver couldn't die down there. Most importantly, he didn't want to die as one face, bathed in light, stood out among the rest. He had to get out of there, but he wouldn't get far. Oliver pushed the button for his comm. "Dig. Diggle. Help!"

He missed whatever Diggle said back. Oliver was past the point of comprehension. He'd only made it a few feet up the stairs before he collapsed and the darkness consumed him.

* * *

Felicity opened her eyes, startled and gasping for breath. That was the second nightmare tonight she'd had about kangaroos. The first one had involved Felicity being stranded in some field in Australia. Neither her cell phone nor her tablet would work. The only piece of technology she had was a pager, and it started beeping. She couldn't read the message as it was in another language. Felicity was completely confused, because who even used a pager anymore besides maybe doctors? It was so 1994. She thought that was the worst of her problems until the stampede of scary kangaroos came. Felicity tried to outrun them, but it felt like her feet were made of lead. She woke up just as they were about to trample her.

That was bad enough until she'd had her second nightmare. It was about the night she'd met Oliver as The Arrow. Instead of Oliver going up against Brother Eye, it had been Felicity. The guys had also not been humans but kangaroos. Felicity held the bow and arrow in her hand, unable to set it up properly. The guys had hopped closer and closer. When she did finally take a shot, Felicity had accidentally hit Oliver. She cried out and tried to run and see if he was okay. It looked like he was lying on the ground, lifeless. That was when Kangaroo Cooper cut her off and swatted her with his humongous tail. Felicity never did get to check on Oliver before she awakened.

Running a hand through her hair, Felicity slumped back down on the mattress in frustration. It was going to be one of those restless nights. Staring at the clock, she noted that it was two in the morning. She wondered if Oliver and Diggle were back yet. Felicity hadn't heard anyone enter, but it wasn't like she'd been awake all this time. Maybe she should get up and check. She'd just slipped on her bathrobe when her cell phone rang. The unexpectedly loud ring made her jump before she scrambled to answer it. It was Diggle.

"I was just going to check if you guys were back yet. Guess not," Felicity said, yawning. "How'd it go?" She was suddenly nervous, not knowing what Oliver ultimately planned to do with Merlyn. Not knowing either how she would feel about the choice he made.

"Not so good," Diggle replied, an odd tone to his voice. "Felicity, I'm at the hospital."

Felicity felt like her heart was in her throat and stood up. "Oh my God, is Oliver with you? Is he okay? Are you okay?" she rushed out, already envisioning a slew of terrible scenarios. Oliver and Diggle never went to the hospital when they were injured. They actively avoided it at all costs, which was why they usually had a thorough stock of medical supplies. Something had to have gone very wrong.

"I'm okay. He's alive, but he's in rough shape. I had no other choice."

"I'll be right there." As soon as Diggle gave her the name of the hospital, Felicity hung up and rushed to get dressed. She grabbed her purse and went down to the hotel lobby. It was the middle of the night, so she had to wait while concierge called her a taxi. Every minute felt like an hour.

When the taxi did finally arrive, she barely waited for it to come to a complete stop before jumping inside. She gave the name of the hospital and told the driver to hurry. Every red light they got, which was quite a few, made her want to scream. She didn't have time for this. Oliver was hurt, and she needed to know what the hell was going on.

Again, Felicity barely waited for the vehicle to stop before getting out. She practically threw the money at the driver and sprinted through the double doors. Felicity must've looked like a crazy person, all wild-eyed and panicked, when she approached the front desk. "I'm looking for Oliv-Jonas King," she corrected herself. "Where can I find him?"

The woman spoke in a heavy accent, but Felicity understood her well enough. She rushed to the elevator and pushed the button for the third floor. Felicity had started to enter another set of doors when another woman called to her in Spanish. It had been a while since she'd taken Spanish in school, but it didn't take a translator to understand that she wanted to know where Felicity was going.

"Jonas King," Felicity impatiently stated.

The woman shook her head. " _Familia sólo está permitida_."

They would only allow family in. Felicity searched the dusty corners of her brain for the correct response. " _Soy...su esposa_." She hoped that translated to "wife." It must have because the woman came around the desk and led her to the room without protest.

" _Lo siento_ ," the older woman sympathetically muttered before letting her enter the room.

"John," Felicity said when she spotted him. He was sitting in a chair by Oliver's bed.

"Hey," he greeted and stood up to meet her.

Felicity threw her arms around him and asked if he was all right. When he assured her that he was fine, she focused her attention on Oliver. He was unconscious. The only visible injuries were some bruising on his face and knuckles. Felicity looked at Diggle, silently asking how bad it really was.

"He's got two stab wounds, three broken ribs and a concussion," Diggle explained. "He's also got a strong sedative in his system. When I found him, he'd been stuck with one of his own tranq arrows. He might be out of it for a while, but the doctor said he'll be fine. They're doing their best to flush it out of his system."

"Where was he? Did Merlyn do this to him?" She lifted her glasses and wiped at her eyes. Felicity didn't know when she'd started crying.

"I don't know if it was Merlyn. All I know is Oliver called for help on the comm, and I had to back-trace his signal. He was in some hidden basement in the compound. I got him out of there and cleaned him up before bringing him here."

"What did you tell the doctor?"

"I said he was my client and that he'd slipped away from me. When I found him, it looked like he'd been mugged."

"That was smart." Felicity put her purse on a side table and slid an empty chair next to Oliver's bed. Her hand reached out and hesitated for a second. _To hell with it_ , she thought and took his hand between her own. There may have been a lot of tension and awkwardness between them earlier, but that didn't matter now. Felicity simply needed to touch him and know that he was all right.

Diggle retook his chair on the other side of Oliver's bed. Sighing, he sat back and rubbed his eyes. It was the most strained Felicity had ever seen him. Even in the worst situations, Diggle was usually so composed and logical. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Diggle to find Oliver in such a beaten and bloodied state. In the weeks that she'd known them, Felicity could tell that Oliver and Diggle were more than just friends and partners. They were almost like brothers. It would take a lot to leave Diggle so shaken.

"I'm sorry," Felicity mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

Diggle looked away from Oliver and to her, confused. "Sorry for what?"

"I was so worried about Oliver killing Merlyn that I neglected to think about how the tables could turn." Felicity said sadly, "I told you guys that I didn't want to help after you got the information you needed. Maybe if I'd seen it through and been involved, stayed connected to Oliver while he was there, I could've helped in some way. You could've found him a lot sooner."

"There was nothing else you could've done, Felicity. Trust me," Diggle assured her. "Oliver is a great fighter, but somehow he was outmatched. Now if _I_ hadn't let him so stubbornly refuse my help, then things could be different. A good soldier isn't supposed to let a brother in arms face battle alone."

Felicity gave him a sympathetic smile. "It's not your fault either. As you said, he's stubborn. When Oliver makes up his mind about something, there's no talking him out of it. You did everything you could for him, and he's here and safe now because of you. You did your job. You protected him."

Oliver quietly groaned, and his eyes fluttered. Both Felicity and Diggle stood up. "Do you think he's coming out of it?" she hopefully questioned Diggle.

"I don't know. I don't think so. The sedative is still in his system. He might just be fading in and out."

Oliver opened his heavy-lidded eyes slowly and let out another painful groan. "What...?" he croaked.

"Hey, relax. You're safe, Oliver," Diggle told him. "You're in the hospital. You're going to be all right."

Oliver's breathing was deep and heavy as he struggled to fight the drug in his system. Felicity shushed him soothingly and patted his hand. "Don't talk," she advised. "Rest."

"Merlyn," he managed to get out.

"We can talk about him later," Diggle promised.

"He's...alive," Oliver persisted. His eyes closed but he kept talking. "He's more dangerous...than I thought." Diggle and Felicity exchanged concerned looks. "He's the Dark Archer."

Felicity heard Diggle curse under his breath. She didn't know that much about the Dark Archer, but she knew that he was bad news. Despite all their careful research and planning, Oliver had gone to face Merlyn with the odds already stacked against him. And now he was paying the price. That knowledge in retrospect made her sick.

"Felicity," Oliver murmured. He rolled his head in her direction like it was heavy.

"Oliver, seriously. You need to rest," the blonde gently scolded. Felicity was half tempted to call the doctor in there to give him another dose of sedative. Even when he was injured he was infuriatingly obstinate.

"Felicity," he repeated.

She sighed, relenting. "What?" Oliver probably wouldn't stop until he got whatever it was out.

"Stay."

That one, simple word made her heart melt. If his eyes were still open, he would've seen the tender smile it brought to her face. Felicity ran one of her hands lightly through his hair before resting it on his cheek. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

A sharp pain shot through Oliver's side as he shifted in bed. He couldn't seem to get comfortable no matter what position he took. If it wasn't the wound in his shoulder acting up, it was his ribs. If it wasn't his ribs, it was the wound in his stomach. His body was broken and bruised, but what drove him crazy the most was having to stay put all day long. There was only so much he could do in the loft, especially when he was confined to his bed.

It had been a week since returning to Starling from Corto Maltese. Oliver had spent a couple of days in the hospital before the doctors allowed him to be discharged. They'd passed by in a blur with all of the pain meds he'd been on. Even though he'd been in and out of consciousness, he knew that either Felicity or Diggle was always by his side. It was probably why he'd been able to get the rest that he needed. Oliver would never admit it, but it was comforting to know that he wasn't alone-not like that night he'd faced off with Merlyn. Immediately, Oliver banished that thought from his mind. He couldn't deal with that when the experience was still so raw.

Felicity and Diggle had been just as eager to return home. The farther away they could get from Petrov the better. The crime boss would probably consider Oliver's sudden departure and refusal of his drug deal an insult, but he didn't care. As long as Oliver held Anatoly's favor, they couldn't touch him.

Sighing, Oliver threw back the covers and moved to get up. He'd barely placed his feet on the ground when Felicity walked in. She held a tray of food in her hands. The stern look on her face said it all.

"Oliver, don't you dare," the blonde warned.

"What?"

"Don't you 'what?' me. The doctor said you have to give your body a chance to heal. That means staying put for _at least_ two weeks."

"What if I have to go to the bathroom?"

"Do you have to go to the bathroom?" she challenged, calling him out on the lie.

"No," Oliver sulked. "I can't just sit here and do nothing, Felicity. The city needs me."

Felicity placed the tray on his nightstand. "Oh, that's exactly what you're going to do. Because taking on criminals in your condition is not only bad for your recovery, it's more likely that you'll end up getting yourself killed. You can barely stand without being in pain."

"I'm not talking about fighting. I need to know what's going on."

"Diggle and I have that covered," Felicity informed him. "That's what partners are for. If something big comes up, we'll let you know. Until then, back to bed, mister." Felicity pointed to the bed, placed her hand on his non-injured shoulder, and gently pushed him back into the mound of pillows. For someone so usually small and sweet, Oliver thought, she sure knew how to take charge when she wanted to.

Felicity lifted the tray once more and placed it in Oliver's lap. "Lunch and don't forget to take your pain meds afterward. You need to have them with food."

"Yes, mom," he grumbled, giving her a tiny smile despite himself. Oliver wasn't used to having someone fret over him. The only person who ever did that had been Moira. Oliver thought he would be sad or annoyed that someone was trying to fill that role, but the opposite was true. Felicity was simply a nurturing person, and he was appreciative of everything she did-even if he was a cranky patient.

"When you're done, I'll change your bandages."

"Where are you going?" he inquired when she turned to leave. The slightly needy sound of his voice made him want to cringe. This confinement to his room was starting to mess with him.

"My lunch is in the kitchen."

"Why don't you bring it in here? We can eat together."

The offer took Felicity by surprise. "Um, okay." Aside from making sure that Oliver was resting and had everything he needed, she hadn't spent an extended amount of time with him-let alone in his room. "I'll be right back."

Oliver watched her leave before looking at his food. He must've been hungrier than he thought, because his stomach grumbled when he smelled the hot grilled cheese and side of tomato soup. There was also a bottled water and large chocolate chip cookie. Felicity was an expert in comfort food.

A couple of minutes later, Felicity walked back into the room with her own tray. She paused for a second, wondering where to sit, and felt her cheeks burn at the only real option. Oliver didn't have much furniture or personal items in his room. There was a bureau, bookcase and desk. The desk was across the room, which meant the king-sized bed would have to do. Picking up on her hesitance, Oliver patted the empty side of the bed. It was meant as nothing more than a casual, friendly gesture but coming from Oliver, who looked sexy even in his injured state, it made Felicity's mind drift to more heated scenarios.

Inadvertently, she thought back to that night on the beach. The feeling of his rough yet gentle hands and warm, strong lips would forever be seared into her brain. She dismissed the memory for now. They'd agreed that what happened in Corto Maltese would stay in Corto Maltese. If that meant acting as if nothing had happened, then so be it. She was good at pretending. She'd done it for five years. Felicity walked around to the other side of the bed, kicked off her shoes and sat down like it was no big deal.

"I can't remember the last time I had grilled cheese."

Felicity shrugged. "It always made me feel better when I was a kid."

"I used to sneak into the kitchen and climb the counter to reach the cookies my mom hid in the cabinet."

"I can totally picture that," Felicity said, grinning. "It was like early Arrow training."

Oliver chuckled. "Yeah, it kind of was."

"Did you ever get caught?"

"Not directly. My mom must've known, because we would run out pretty often. She started switching the hiding places after that. It was like an unspoken game between us."

"Nice." Felicity took a bite of her grilled cheese and sighed happily at the warm, cheesy goodness.

Oliver's phone beeped on his nightstand. He picked it up to check it. "It's Thea again." She'd been concerned ever since she heard about his "accident." The story was that Oliver had crashed a motorcycle while on vacation. Oliver hadn't planned on telling her. He'd only informed Tommy, because his friend was planning an event at Verdant and wanted Oliver to attend when he got back. Being so out of it, Oliver had missed a few texts from Thea. She became concerned at his silence and had reached out to Tommy instead. Tommy then told her about the accident. Oliver couldn't even be mad at his best friend, because he knew Tommy was only trying to look out for Thea.

Thea, after the verbal lashing she gave him for not telling her, had wanted to come home and take care of Oliver. It took a lot of convincing to talk her out of it. Oliver was forced to tell Thea that he had a friend staying with him who could help. He wasn't sure if it was something in his voice or if Tommy had spilled the beans, but Thea immediately assumed that this "friend" was a woman. Oliver refused to get into the details, which made Thea all the more curious and vowing to get to the bottom of it when she returned home for Thanksgiving break in a couple of months.

Oliver wasn't going to worry about it. A lot could still change by then. Merlyn and Cooper could be caught, which would mean Felicity no longer needed to stay with him. The whole awkward situation could be avoided. Strangely, the scenario of Felicity being officially gone bothered Oliver more than having to keep up the ruse at home in front of his sister.

"She's just being a good sister. She's worried about you."

"I told her I'm fine," he stated and involuntarily hissed at the sharp pain in his wounds when he moved.

"Mm hmm," she hummed in disbelief. "Might be time for those pain pills now."

"I hate them. I can't think straight when I take them."

She offered him a sympathetic smile. "You get sleepy, which is what you need to do-rest. You should see me on painkillers. Way worse. It's like I'm drunk."

Oliver stared at the pills in his hand, hesitating. On the one hand, his injuries really did hurt. On the other, he was sick of "resting."

Felicity cleared her throat and nodded to the pills, prompting him to take them. When he sat unmoving, she warned, "Don't make me play bad nurse." Oliver's eyebrow quirked at that, and within seconds she realized how sexual that sounded. She put a hand to her head and shut her eyes in embarrassment. "Ugh, my brain thinks of the worst way to say things. Whatever. You know what I mean."

Fighting a grin, Oliver took the pills without another word of protest. They ate in silence for a couple of minutes until Oliver asked Felicity about QC. He'd been getting daily emails from Carrie keeping him informed of what was going on. The vice president was picking up the slack in his absence, but there were still things that Oliver had to sign off on.

Felicity cleared away their trays before getting the medical supplies to change Oliver's bandages. She sat beside him on the bed and waited for him to pull off his t-shirt. It didn't matter how many times they'd done this routine in the last week, the sight of his naked chest always made Felicity's heart beat a little faster. Of course she kept a straight face; she would die if Oliver knew the effect he had on her.

Starting with the wound on his stomach, Felicity pealed off the old bandage. Oliver watched as she proceeded to clean the area around the sutures. Her touch was light and gentle, yet it radiated throughout his entire body. It was the only bright spot in his day, and Oliver didn't know what that said about him.

"Can you do me a favor when you go to QC today?" he asked, needing to distract himself from her touch and keep his body from reacting in a way that would embarrass them both.

"Sure." Felicity carefully reapplied the bandage before moving on to the wound on his shoulder.

She had to get closer and lean over him. Oliver noticed her lip between her teeth and her brow furrowed in concentration as she repeated the process.

"I have paperwork to look over and sign. Can you get it from Carrie before you come home?" Carrie had offered to bring it over herself, but Oliver didn't feel like seeing her. She'd called him as soon as he'd sent the email about his injury and had sounded hysterical on the phone. Carrie had since calmed down, but Oliver knew that she'd start all over again when she saw him. It was hard enough being in such a vulnerable state. He didn't need anyone outside of his inner circle seeing him like this.

Felicity nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. The way he'd said "home" so casually, as if she truly belonged there, took her by surprise. Oliver had been very generous in letting her stay with him. Their situation was one of necessity and convenience, but lately Felicity had started thinking of this place as her home-or as close to a home as she could have for the time being. Besides the Foundry, it was the one place where Felicity felt safe and like she could be herself. She had never gotten even close to that point with Cooper and the guys, which was ironic considering how much they depended on her. The fact that Oliver was so accepting of her presence meant a lot to Felicity.

"All done," she announced as she secured the last bandage.

"Thank you."

Felicity replied, holding his gaze, "You're welcome." Realizing that she had no reason to stay so close to him, Felicity pulled back. "Diggle should be here any minute. Is there anything else you need before I go?"

"No. I'll just _rest_ ," he said the last word petulantly.

"Good. And if you actually keep your word, then maybe I'll give you another cookie for dinner," Felicity teased. "Now that you've told me your greatest weakness, I am not above employing it to make sure you heal properly."

Eyeing her, Oliver good-naturedly shook his head. "Touché, Miss Smoak. Although I wouldn't say cookies are my _greatest_ weakness."

"Huh, interesting. What is it then?"

"It wouldn't be the best strategy to tell you. I have to keep some secrets to myself."

"That's a shocker," she playfully mocked. Oliver Queen was the biggest mystery Felicity had ever encountered. The guy was practically a steel trap when it came to his past.

"Though if someone could figure it out, it would probably be you." His voice had gotten deeper at that last part. The playfulness that existed between them seconds before shifted into something much more intense. They were so distracted that neither noticed Diggle enter the room.

Diggle nonchalantly cleared his throat, breaking the spell. "Reporting for duty."

Felicity abruptly gathered the supplies and stood up. She smiled at Diggle, trying her best not to act as if she'd just been caught gazing into Oliver's eyes. So much for keeping things professional. "Great. I'll be back in a few hours. Make sure he doesn't get up too much." She then mumbled a "see you later" and exited the room.

Diggle glanced at Oliver with that questioning look in his eyes. Oliver shrugged his shirt on and casually laid back down. "I should probably get some sleep."

Diggle appeared anything but convinced of his innocent act. "Right." He added with a knowing expression, "Sweet dreams."

* * *

Felicity scrolled through the proposal on her tablet. QC was in the process of developing a new workflow system that would increase productivity and simplify communication between departments. The troubleshooting tests had begun, which was producing a lot of useful data.

"What do you think?" Joe, the IT director, asked when she didn't say anything right away.

"I think it's off to a promising start," Felicity answered. "The new CMS might need to be altered, though. The metadata isn't being properly identified, and it's slowing down access."

"Mr. Palmer thought the same thing. We've already started working on it."

Felicity gave Joe a couple of suggestions on how to fix the bottlenecks. He wrote them down in the report to be added later. "I'll tell my guys," Joe stated when she was finished. "You leaving for the night?"

Checking her watch, Felicity realized how late it was. "Oh, yes. I should get going. Sorry if I held you up."

"Don't worry about it. I've got some more work to catch up on. You going to be in tomorrow?"

"I don't know. I've got to check my schedule." What she really had to do was make time to work in the Foundry. Traveling to Corto Maltese and then Oliver getting hurt had set her back in finding Cooper. Laurel's tip a couple of weeks ago about some of Cooper's records disappearing had given her an idea. If she could back-trace the hack, then maybe she could find the source. That would lead her straight to Cooper. It would take some time, but Felicity knew she could crack it.

"Have a good night."

"You, too." Felicity left his office and walked down the hallway to the elevators. The doors opened to reveal Ray.

"Oh, good," Ray exclaimed. "I thought you'd already left."

"You just caught me on my way out." She stepped inside and pressed the button to the executive floor. "What's up?"

"I thought you were leaving," Ray pointed out, confused.

"I am, but I have to stop by Oliver's office first. His signature is needed on a few things."

"How's he doing?"

"He's okay." She smiled to herself. "I might need to tie him to the bed to make sure he rests, but he's recovering nicely." As soon as the words left her mouth, Felicity wished she could take them back. That was the second time today her words were dripping with innuendo when it involved Oliver.

"When do you think he'll be back?"

"Possibly next week." She could only keep him stationary for so long.

"Give him my best, would you?"

"I will. So, was there a reason you were looking for me?" The elevator beeped, and the doors opened. Felicity stepped out with Ray behind her. She inwardly groaned when she saw that Carrie hadn't left yet. She'd been hoping the documents would've been left on the desk with a note-no interaction required.

"Mr. Palmer. Ms. Smoak," Carrie greeted. "Can I help you with something?"

"Oliver needs that paperwork to sign. He said he'd emailed you about it."

Carrie was all smiles. Felicity didn't believe the sweet facade for a second. "Yes, he did. Let me get everything together. With Oliver out, it's been hectic. I've spent so much time fielding calls that I haven't gotten a chance to do much else."

Felicity turned to Ray while she waited. "Sorry. What were you about to tell me?"

Ray's eyes widened. They always did that when he was excited about something. "I'm working on this new plan that I think could be beneficial to both QC and the city. I was literally brushing my teeth this morning when it came to me. Have you heard of a process called cogeneration?"

"It's a repurposing of waste heat given off by electricity production."

"Exactly," Ray exclaimed, grinning. "I knew you'd get it. It's a principle of thermo-dynamic efficiency. It occurred to me that it can be applied to a building which generates over 240,000 watts of electricity. A building like Queen Consolidated."

"Huh. Interesting," Felicity commented.

"I did some preliminary calculations while I was at lunch with some colleagues." He pulled a napkin out of his pocket and handed it to Felicity. "Great guys but all terribly boring. They kept droning on and on about these new theories in nuclear fusion, which haven't even been substantiated. So I don't get what the big deal is. They're really-"

Felicity interrupted in an attempt to get him refocused, "You want to sell QC's energy back to the city."

"If by sell you mean give away for free, then yes," he declared with a boyish grin. "Energy is something that should be given freely to the masses. Don't you think?"

"It's definitely worth exploring."

"I'm glad you agree, because I could really use your expertise on this. I was thinking we could grab dinner and talk it over. I know this great sushi place. You like sushi, right? I think I've seen you have it for lunch a couple of times."

"Oh, yes. I love sushi," Felicity replied, a little caught off guard at the offer.

"That is if you're free. So, are you free?"

Felicity snuck a quick peek at Carrie, acutely aware of her presence. The redhead looked busy shuffling around papers, but Felicity knew without a doubt she was eavesdropping. The last thing Felicity needed was another rumor spread about her at the office.

"Well, I can't tonight. I have to check in on Oliver and make sure he gets those documents signed."

"Oh, okay." He sounded disappointed. Felicity had come to notice that Ray tended to get very intense about his projects. As soon as he got an idea, it was usually full steam ahead.

"But I'll be back tomorrow," Felicity assured him. "We can go over it then." She would have to push her time in the Foundry back. Ray wouldn't be able to wait much longer.

He brightened at that. "Awesome. It'll give me a chance to run some more numbers."

"Great. Do you want to meet in your office around ten?" She pulled up the calendar on her tablet to add it in.

"Ten is perfect. I'll see you then." Ray took the napkin from her. With one last charming smile, he wished her a good night and was on his way. Felicity doubted he would grab dinner and was instead off to his office to think further on his project.

"Wow, you certainly don't waste any time."

Felicity turned to Carrie. "Excuse me."

"First Oliver and now Ray. I can understand having a thing for powerful men, but you take it to a whole new level."

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have a 'thing' for anyone," Felicity declared, making air quotes.

"You might have Oliver fooled, but I know all about your kind. I see it all the time. Tons of vapid, beautiful women are always throwing themselves at him, and he indulges them for a while. But it isn't long before they're cast aside and you want to know why?" She didn't give Felicity the chance to answer. "Because as much as Oliver likes to have his fun, his company and his family's legacy means more. So whatever connection you think you have or special moments you think you shared on your little romantic getaway, you can kiss them goodbye. You weren't the first, and you certainly won't be the last. Which I'm assuming you already know or you wouldn't be so keen on catching Palmer's eye. Every gold digger needs to have a backup plan, right?"

This hostility had been brewing between them for a while. Felicity had put up with Carrie's attitude for Oliver's sake, but now the redhead had crossed a line. No way was Felicity letting her get away with that.

"You've been Oliver's secretary for a few months and suddenly you think you know him?"

"I was his mother's _executive assistant_ first," she stressed. "So I know all about Oliver."

"Actually, you don't. Because no matter how long you've worked for him or his family and how many office hours you share, you only get to see one side of him. I'm not some random gold digger. I'm here at QC because Oliver and I are friends, and I'm damn good at my job. But even if the rumors were true and we were romantically involved, that would be _none_ of your business."

"If you're such good friends, then why did Oliver pretend not to know you that night at Verdant?" Carrie challenged.

"It was Verdant's opening night, and Oliver wanted the focus to be on the club and its donation. Neither of us wanted to create a media circus like what happened at that charity dinner," Felicity smoothly lied. It was much easier to do when she didn't like the person.

"I don't believe you."

"I frankly don't care what you believe. If anyone is delusional here, it's you. Despite the huge and wildly inappropriate crush you obviously have on him, Oliver is your _boss_. You are his _employee_. You have absolutely _nothing_ to do with him outside this company. What's even crazier is you thinking that you actually have the right to shame me, because you can't seem to get your own way. I suggest you take a good look in the mirror, honey, because you're the one with an ulterior agenda. Not me," Felicity finished and yanked the pile of papers out of Carrie's hands. "Now is this it? Because I need to be getting home to Oliver."

Carrie stood behind her desk with her hands balled into fists on top. The scornful narrowing of her eyes was proof that she was seething.

"Well, this has been lovely. Let's not do this again sometime."

"Bitch," Carrie called after her retreating form.

Felicity simply turned and smiled, clutching her tablet with pride. "Bitch with wi-fi."

* * *

Oliver cautiously took a seat on the couch in an effort not to pull one of his sutures. Tommy and Laurel sat across from him on the loveseat. They'd stopped by to check on him. Oliver threw on a pair of sweats and a hoodie while Diggle warned him about moving around too much. He was almost as bad as Felicity. Oliver told Diggle that he'd be fine. He was going downstairs, not jumping off of rooftops. Diggle finally relented but said it was totally on him if Felicity came home and caught him.

"Where does it hurt?" Tommy asked.

Oliver grunted in response. "Everywhere."

"I thought you were supposed to be good on a motorcycle," Laurel said, taking a sip of her coffee. Diggle had been nice enough to make it for everyone. Oliver offered to let him join them, but Diggle took a seat at the kitchen table and flipped through a newspaper instead. Oliver suspected that Diggle wanted to give him some privacy with his friends.

"Yeah, well, I underestimated the quality of the roads in Mexico."

"That's why I stick to limos and town cars," Tommy declared.

Laurel placed her coffee cup back down. "Where was Felicity?"

"Probably either by the pool or in her room at the hotel."

"So you had separate rooms?" his best friend probed. "I guess my theory was wrong."

"Yes," Oliver emphasized, sending him a look. The irony was that Tommy wasn't completely wrong. He'd joked that Mexico was a prime place to get either laid or engaged. Only they weren't quite in Mexico. Instead of sex, there'd been a kiss. Instead of an engagement, they'd had to pretend to be married. It was an ironic twist and if Tommy knew the truth of what happened, Oliver would never live it down.

Laurel shifted in her seat. "Other than the accident, did you have fun?"

"It was good to get away from Starling, but now I have a lot of work to catch up on."

With a nod of his head, Tommy acknowledged, "Being an adult sucks."

"What about you guys? Anything happen while I was gone?"

"Just the usual. Crime sprees in The Glades and me putting away the bad guys," Laurel answered. "Too bad the vigilante has been MIA. As much as my father is annoyed with his interference, I think he'd gotten used to finding criminals strung up and ready for arrest."

"I agree with your father. That guy is bad news," Tommy stated. "He should get out of their way and let the cops do their job."

"The Arrow saved you once," Laurel pointed out.

"By killing everyone. If he'd left the kidnappers alive, the police could've gotten more information out of them."

Oliver felt his muscles tense, which wasn't good for his injuries. "Better us alive than them, I say," he interjected.

"Exactly," Laurel agreed. She smiled at Tommy and placed her hand on his arm.

Tommy stared back for a few seconds before looking away. Laurel removed her hand and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. There was no mistaking the tension that existed between them behind the smiles and friendly banter.

"I've got more important concerns," Tommy said, changing the subject. "Lots of meetings at Merlyn Global and that event at Verdant."

Oliver was just as eager to talk about something else. "How did the event go?"

"It was good. I was showing some people around the club and you know that door down that back hallway? It's the one that's stuck."

"Yeah. What about it?" Oliver already didn't like where this was going.

"I was thinking we should have a contractor come and look at it. It's got a keypad that works, but it won't open. We could use more storage space."

"I already looked into it," Oliver replied. "The basement is all flooded. Even if it was cleared out, that part of the building is so old there's no guarantee it wouldn't happen again. It doesn't seem worth the investment."

Tommy shrugged. "Oh well. It was worth a shot."

They were interrupted by the sound of keys jingling and the door unlocking. Felicity walked in and paused at the sight before her. "What are you doing out of bed?" The hand that wasn't carrying her purse and a small pile of paperwork was placed on her hip. She looked to Diggle expectantly.

"Don't look at me," Diggle said, holding up his hands in surrender. "It was all Oliver."

"We have guests," Oliver excused.

Felicity said a quick greeting to Tommy and Laurel before eyeing Oliver disapprovingly once more. She took off her coat and dropped her items on the side table. "If you're 'feeling better,' then you can look over these tonight," Felicity said and placed the papers on the coffee table. "I'll bring them back to the office tomorrow."

"We're sorry, Felicity," Tommy apologized with that charming smile of his. "We just wanted to pay Oliver a visit and make sure he was still alive."

"Oh, I don't blame you. This one is stubborn." She plopped down on the couch next to Oliver. "It's like he's allergic to his bed."

Oliver rolled his eyes in response. "I'm going stir crazy."

"It's only been a week."

"One week is long enough."

"That's not what the doctor said," Felicity countered. "Can't you binge watch Netflix like a normal person?"

"I already caught up on _Mad Men_."

"Great show," Tommy agreed. "Wish I could get paid for being sloshed at work."

"You do when you're at Verdant," Laurel teased

"Huh, I never thought of it that way. Good point," he said, grinning. "Speaking of, we're supposed to head over there tonight." Tommy stood up with Laurel following suit.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay? I was just about to make dinner," Felicity offered. She didn't want them to think she was kicking them out. As peeved as she was that Oliver was unnecessarily straining himself, Felicity could tell that seeing his friends was good for him.

"Thanks but we already ate. See ya around, buddy." Tommy bumped fists with Oliver, not wanting to pat his shoulder or any other area that was probably already in pain. "I'll stop by again and whip your butt in video games."

"Good luck with that."

Laurel leaned down to hug him gently. "Bye, Ollie."

"Felicity, it was good seeing you again." Tommy pulled her in for a friendly hug. The blonde wasn't expecting it, but it was nice all the same. It was almost like they were becoming friends themselves. "I'm leaving my best friend in your very capable hands."

Felicity led them to the door. Just before stepping out, Laurel turned to her. "Felicity," she began quietly and somewhat awkwardly, "if you ever have a free moment, maybe we can get coffee sometime."

"Do you need to talk to me about the Brother Eye case?" The thought filled Felicity with dread.

"No. Nothing like that. You and Oliver seem to be spending a lot of time together, and I know Tommy really likes you. It might be nice if we got to know each other better, as well."

"Sure. I'd like that," Felicity replied with an encouraging smile. If Laurel was willing to make an effort, then so would she.

"Good. I'll talk to you soon then."

"What did Laurel want?" Oliver asked after Felicity shut the door behind them. He'd noticed the exchange between the two and was curious.

"We're going to get coffee."

Her answer surprised him, especially since the two had gotten off to a rocky start. "That's nice."

"Yeah, it is." Felicity had never had many girlfriends. Going for coffee didn't mean she and Laurel would suddenly be BFFs, but it was a step in the right direction.

"I'm going to head out, too," Diggle announced.

"Dig, you're welcome to stay for dinner."

"I would, Felicity, but I'm supposed to be meeting someone."

Felicity perked up at that. "Ooh, a lady friend?"

The only evidence that she'd guessed right was the hint of a smile on Diggle's face. "I'll see you both tomorrow."

"You're no fun," Felicity called after him. She turned to Oliver. "Looks like it's just you and me. You might as well stay there for now," she said when he attempted to stand. Felicity handed him the remote control and walked into the kitchen.

"What's for dinner?" He was starved. Felicity might not like to cook, but she sure was good at it.

"Pasta." Felicity shuffled around the kitchen getting everything she needed. "Hope you like fettuccine Alfredo."

Oliver felt his stomach growl. "Sounds good to me." He clicked through options on Netflix. He'd worry about the documents Felicity had brought him after dinner.

"Ooh, can we watch _The Princess Bride_?" Felicity requested just as he passed it. "It was one of my favorites growing up."

"Mine, too. I always wanted to be a pirate, so I could carry a sword." The memory brought a smile to his face. "I haven't seen it in years."

"I wanted to be a princess and experience true love's kiss. Not that you really have to be a princess to fall in love. It just seemed like a nice perk," Felicity babbled, feeling herself flush. Mentioning kissing around Oliver probably wasn't the best thing to do right now. _Platonic, platonic, platonic..._

Oliver clicked on the movie, and it began to play. Every couple of minutes he would peek over at Felicity. In between cooking dinner, she would be watching the TV and mouthing or smiling at the lines. They had never done this before-casually hang out-since it was rare they were both home at the same time. It was different but a good different. He watched Felicity twirl a strand of hair from her ponytail around her finger as she stirred the pasta in the pot. The gesture was kind of adorable.

The thought brought Oliver up short. Whatever he'd felt in Corto Maltese was supposed to stay in Corto Maltese. Starling was the real world, and any type of feelings had consequences. He needed to shut that part of him down for both their sakes. Catching one more glimpse of Felicity twirling her hair and biting her lip, Oliver knew it would be easier said than done.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for your reviews, guys! I've been super busy this week working, finishing up school, and fighting off the worst cold ever. It was nice to read your comments. Got a longer chapter for you this week. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

Fiddling with his tie and walking out of his bedroom, Oliver heard the sound of the TV on downstairs. It was early in the morning, and he assumed that it was Felicity watching the news. It's what they'd done every morning for the past week during breakfast and before Felicity headed off to QC. If a problem arose in the city, sometimes Diggle would don the green suit at night just to make an appearance and remind the city of The Arrow's presence. Once Felicity acknowledged that Oliver could handle walking down the stairs without worsening his injuries, she hadn't been as adamant about keeping him in bed. Slowly but surely he'd started moving around the loft more. The change of scenery, no matter how minor, was welcomed.

This morning was different. Instead of spotting Felicity in the kitchen, Oliver found her in the living room. Dressed in workout clothes with a yoga mat underneath her, she was doing sit-ups to some video playing on the TV. Oliver quietly stood at the top of the stairs and watched. Felicity was counting along with the woman on screen, except her timing was off. As the instructor counted past ten, Felicity grunted out a "five" and then flopped back onto the mat.

"Yes," she said, raising her hands in victory. Oliver couldn't keep quiet any longer as a chuckle escaped him. Felicity's head whipped up at the sound and she frowned. "How long have you been standing there?"

He descended the stairs. "Long enough to know that you missed half that set."

Felicity smiled coyly. "There isn't a rule that you have to do the entire thing." She turned the video off and stood to face him.

"Then what's the point?" he jokingly challenged.

"The point is," she said while brushing his hands aside to help with his tie, "staying healthy while also ensuring that I make it to work on time."

"How come I've never seen you do it before?"

"I didn't say I was consistent." The truth was that Felicity usually did her workout video when she knew Oliver wasn't around. He was so strong and maybe it was silly, but she felt a little self-conscious about her complete lack of athleticism.

"I wish I could do _something_ ," Oliver grumbled.

"You are not human. Most people love an excuse to slack off."

"I'm not most people. Being stationary for so long is making me lose muscle mass."

Felicity shook her head and patted his finished tie down. "You still look plenty fit to me." She bit her lip as Oliver stared at her in that penetrating way of his. Before things could get awkward, she stepped back and said, "So, are you ready for your first day back at work?"

"I'm ready to leave this apartment."

"Gee, really? I had no idea."

Oliver cracked a smile at her teasing. "What are you up to today?"

"I was going to head into QC with you, if you don't mind. I'm helping Ray with this big new project."

"Oh." This was the first he'd heard about it. "What is it?"

"I can't say yet. He wants to get it just right before presenting it to you. You know how meticulous he is."

The words left Oliver's mouth before he could think about them. "I didn't realize you and Ray had gotten so close."

Felicity shrugged. "He asked for my help, and that is why you hired me, right? To help QC continue to kick butt."

Nodding, Oliver acknowledged, "Right. With you on the project, I'm sure it will be great."

Felicity flushed at the compliment and took another step back. It was hard to think straight with him so close and saying things like that. "Well, I don't want to make you late. Let me go change and then we can leave."

Oliver watched her ascend the stairs before walking into the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast. He ran a hand over his face and sighed. Felicity must be wearing off on him, because lately he was having a hard time not saying what was on his mind. Oliver had just finished his protein bar when Felicity came back down. As usual, she was dressed impeccably. She wore a black dress with an off-white blazer, a pair of pearl earrings and black heels. He probably would've kept quietly staring at her if she didn't look so frazzled.

"Everything okay?" he inquired when he saw her rifling through her purse.

"I can't find my tablet," Felicity replied. "I must be losing my mind. I could've sworn I put it in my purse before going to bed." She searched the living room with the help of Oliver and let out a frustrated groan when it was nowhere in sight.

Felicity was about to go upstairs when a thought occurred to Oliver. Last night she'd been sorting through the documents in his briefcase, since she'd been acting as his go-between at the office. She wanted to make sure everything was signed and organized for when he got back. He checked his briefcase on the kitchen table and, sure enough, found her tablet inside. "Got it."

"How the heck did I do that?" Felicity muttered to herself.

"You must've slipped it in there by accident last night."

Felicity breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close. My life, not to mention my entire schedule, is on this thing."

"Are you sure you want to go to the office today?" Oliver questioned. He was a little concerned.

Felicity was constantly running around these last couple of weeks. Between QC and the Foundry, not to mention taking care of him, it seemed like she hadn't had a moment's peace.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"I want to make sure you're not taking on too much. With my injuries, it appears you've had to pick up most of the slack. You're a consultant, Felicity, not a full-time employee. If you want to take a day off from QC, do it."

Felicity was about to respond when her phone began to ring. "It's Ray." He probably had another idea to share with her. He wasn't the type to wait for normal business hours. It would probably bother most people, but Felicity was used to keeping odd hours. Her work with Oliver was proof of that. "We should go. I did promise Ray that I'd-"

"I don't care what you promised him." Oliver took the phone before she could answer and sent the call to voicemail. "I'm giving you the day off."

"Oliver, really, I'm okay," Felicity tried to tell him and reached for her phone.

Oliver placed his hand on her shoulder. "Felicity, I appreciate you taking care of me these past couple of weeks. The truth is, I don't know what I would've done without you," he said, meaning every word. "Now let me return the favor."

"All right. I won't go to QC. But I do have some things to work on in the Foundry."

Oliver was already shaking his head in objection. "No Foundry either."

"What?" Felicity's eyes widened in shock. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Whatever you want as long as it doesn't involve work."

"You really are the most peculiar boss," Felicity commented, flabbergasted. She was so used to focused and determined Oliver. Now here he was telling her to play hooky for the day. It was surreal and made Felicity wonder if he'd taken a little too much pain medication today.

"I'm not saying this as your boss," Oliver clarified. He squeezed her shoulder. "I'm saying this as your partner and your friend."

Felicity was touched by his concern for her. The fact that he'd called her a "friend" brought a beaming smile to her face. It was the cover story they'd been telling everyone, but this was the first time in weeks that their connection actually felt real. It might not have been the connection she'd been seeking when they kissed, but it was one that she valued. "I suppose I could finally meet Laurel for that coffee. Thank you, Oliver."

"No, thank _you_." His smile was genuine as he affectionately tugged the end of her ponytail. "I'll see you tonight." He then grabbed his briefcase and headed off to work, leaving a dazed and happy Felicity behind.

* * *

"Oliver," Carrie exclaimed as he walked through the doors to his office. She jumped up from her seat and practically launched at him. Oliver held in a groan at the pressure she'd placed on his stitches. "I'm so glad you're back."

Oliver looked over at Diggle, whose expression was unusually blank. Giving Carrie a couple of awkward pats on the back, Oliver pulled away. "I'm fine, Carrie." She wasn't the only one to wish him a happy return, but she was certainly the most enthusiastic.

"You were out for over two weeks. Are you fully healed? Do you need me to get you anything?"

"Not at the moment." He reached into his briefcase and pulled out the documents Felicity had put in there. "Can you see that these are processed?"

"Of course," the redhead replied. "I've been getting a lot of calls about these. I was beginning to wonder if Felicity had forgotten to give them to you."

Oliver detected a hint of annoyance in her tone. He was aware that Felicity and Carrie didn't get along. The way Felicity would drop the papers down in front of him sometimes with a little too much force led him to believe that they'd had a few unfriendly encounters over these last couple of weeks. "She did give them to me. I needed to read them over before signing."

"I will get these in right away. Then I can bring you up to speed on what you've missed, if you like."

"Give me ten minutes," he said and walked into his office. Oliver settled into his chair and turned on his computer.

"How does it feel to be back?" Diggle asked.

"Surreal. It feels like I haven't been here in forever." Oliver checked his email, which was already full of new messages after he'd caught up last night.

"Well, it has been almost a month since we left for Corto Maltese," he reasoned. "Will Felicity be in later?"

"No."

"Wow. To be honest, I'm surprised she didn't come with you this morning. She's barely let you out of her sight."

"I know. It's why I told her to take the day off. She's been running herself ragged." Oliver went to grab more paperwork out of his briefcase when he heard something crinkle. He checked a side pocket and found a brown paper bag. He grinned at the fact that Felicity had packed him a lunch. A note was included, warning him not to skip eating no matter how busy he got. Looking through his endless emails and the number of voicemails on his phone, it was no doubt going to be a hectic day.

Diggle was amused. "That girl doesn't miss a thing."

The corner of Oliver's mouth quirked up. "No, she doesn't. Which reminds me, Felicity is going with Laurel for coffee later today. I'd like you to take her." Felicity hated being followed by the security detail all the time but wouldn't so much mind having Diggle with her. Oliver would be safe at QC all day, so he didn't need Diggle at the moment.

"Sure."

There was a knock on the door. The two men looked over to find Ray standing in the doorway. "Sorry to interrupt, but your assistant wasn't at her desk."

Ray was the last person Oliver felt like seeing on his first day back, but he couldn't be rude. "Come in."

"Glad to see that you've recuperated."

"Thank you," Oliver responded. "What can I do for you, Ray?"

"I need to discuss something with you." He spared a cautious glance at Diggle. "It's important and highly sensitive."

Diggle, understanding that this was a conversation they needed to have alone, excused himself. Oliver motioned for Ray to take a seat. Despite Ray's sharp, clean appearance, Oliver noticed the small, dark circles under his eyes and weariness in the way he sat down.

"I'm sorry to have to bring this up now. I realize it's your first day back and all, but this was just brought to my attention. It can't wait."

"What is it?" Oliver inquired, already not liking the heaviness of his tone.

"It involves Unidac."

Now he had Oliver's full attention. "It was disbanded. What about it?"

"The earthquake machine wasn't the only piece of technology our scientists were working on. Unidac had several contracts with the U.S. government for various technologies. Among them was a contract for militarized performance enhancers. A formula was created, and there was some testing."

"I'm not following," Oliver interjected.

"That formula and a few bottles of the actual serum are missing."

"When did this happen? I thought most of Unidac's research was destroyed by the Dark Archer, and anything we found was confiscated and placed in our secured archives."

"I'm afraid that the theft isn't recent," Ray answered. "I've been looking over our portfolio to see what projects we've had in the works and what we should explore. Thanks to Felicity's upgrade of our system, I was able to catch the discrepancy. I questioned the workers directly in charge of this and found that they were paid to keep this quiet."

"Paid by who?" Oliver demanded. He would have that person's head.

Ray hesitated for a moment before revealing, "Your mother. The theft was reported to her after the Unidac Massacre. I believe she didn't want the public to know that Queen Consolidated was responsible for another possible weapon falling into the wrong hands."

Oliver rubbed his hands over his face. He couldn't believe that he was dealing with this mess again. The fact that his mother had a hand in the cover-up also didn't help. "What exactly do these performance enhancers do?"

"They function much like anabolic steroids. Muscle mass and strength is increased but with fewer amounts of treatments and less negative physical side effects," Ray explained. "Unfortunately, it was also discovered during testing that the behavioral side effects could not be eliminated. In fact, they were much worse. Patients exhibited high levels of aggression and irritability. Mood swings and insomnia occurred in between treatments. The researchers had difficulty keeping them under control, especially with the added strength. Since the military is all about maintaining order, the project was considered a failure and scrapped."

"Do we have any idea who took the serum? Was it the Dark Archer?"

"We don't know, but I doubt it. Everyone involved in creating the earthquake machine was killed. If he took the serum, I don't think those employees would've been left alive." Ray continued, "I've got an internal team investigating what happened and am making sure we keep this quiet. The team, myself and now you are the only ones who know about this."

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," Oliver told him. "I'd like to be kept in the loop during this investigation."

"Of course."

"I'd also prefer it if you did not go through my assistant with this. Everything can be sent directly to me and, if I'm unavailable, Felicity." If the performance enhancers were as dangerous as Ray said they were, Oliver didn't want to take a chance and wait for Ray's team to find something. Felicity would probably be able to get the information they need in more "creative" ways, but it couldn't hurt to give her official access.

"Coincidentally, that was another thing I wanted to discuss with you. I'd like to bring Felicity in on this. We could really use her skills which, since you've okay-ed her clearance, shouldn't be a problem."

"I do trust Felicity and she is brilliant," Oliver acknowledged, "but I'm not going to put her on the investigation."

Ray frowned in confusion. "You're not?"

"No. She's already balancing multiple projects at QC, plus consulting for other companies on the side and helping me while I recover. She's a hard worker for sure, but she needs to slow down." Oliver also wanted to make sure that they stayed ahead of Ray's investigation. It was best that Felicity was privy to the information they received but didn't have to reciprocate.

"Shouldn't that be her decision?"

Irked by the slight challenge in Ray's voice, Oliver responded, "I spoke with her this morning, and she agrees. I've also given her the day off."

"Well, that explains why I haven't been able to reach her," Ray mumbled.

"Unless it's an emergency, I don't want her taking any calls when she's not in the office." Oliver was polite but firm in his declaration. Just because Ray often ran himself and sometimes his staff ragged, Oliver wasn't going to let him do the same to Felicity. To be fair, Ray didn't know the extent of Felicity's other commitments but still a line needed to be drawn.

Ray seemed to get the message. "Will she be in for the meeting we have scheduled tomorrow?"

"Yes."

There was a knock on the door before Carrie stuck her head inside. "I'm sorry, Oliver, but you have a meeting in twenty minutes. There are a couple of things I need to go over with you before then."

"I'll leave you to it. Thank you for your time, Oliver."

"Ray," Oliver said in dismissal before waving Carrie in. She started running down the list of things he'd missed. Oliver tried to pay attention but found his mind drifting to the missing performance enhancers. He shouldn't be surprised that his mother had tried to cover that up, as well. He missed his mother every day and knew she wasn't perfect, but it was situations like the one Ray had just told him about that made Oliver question if he ever really knew her at all.

* * *

Diggle held the door open for Felicity, so that she could slide into the backseat of the town car. She gave him an appreciative smile before he walked around the front and got into the driver's seat. A minute later, they were on the road and headed toward the cafe where Felicity was supposed to meet Laurel.

"This is a pleasant surprise. I thought Brad would be following me around today."

"Nope. You've got me," Diggle replied, sparing her a quick glance in the rearview mirror. "I hope you're not disappointed."

"Are you kidding? I'm thrilled. Brad has the personality of a dead cat." The other bodyguard, though good at his job, was stiff and straight-faced. For someone as talkative and bubbly as Felicity, it was awkward to be around a person who couldn't at least feign a smile at one of her jokes.

The corner of Diggle's mouth quirked up. "I can't argue with that."

"How is Oliver? Is everything going okay at the office?" If Diggle was with her today, it must mean that Oliver was buried under a pile of work.

"He's fine. He was doing pushups when I left."

"What?" Felicity exclaimed. "Is he crazy? He'll pull his stitches! I can't believe-" she cut herself off mid rant when she noticed the mischievous smirk on Diggle's face. "That is so _not_ funny."

Diggle chuckled at that. "No need to panic, Felicity. Oliver is fine. He was talking with Palmer when I left."

After the conversation Felicity had with Oliver this morning about Ray, her curiosity was piqued. "About what?"

"It was a company matter. Top secret."

Now she was really intrigued, but Felicity didn't push the issue further. She sat back and looked out the window. With the sun shining, it was a good day to be out of the office. The nagging feeling that she had work to do didn't totally leave her, but she would enjoy this free time Oliver had given her.

Diggle must've been thinking the same thing because he said, "How are you enjoying your day off?"

"It's been good so far. I got to catch up on some reading this morning and do a little online shopping."

"Buy anything interesting?"

Felicity shrugged. "A few gadgets and items for the loft."

"The loft?"

"Yes, like a rug. A couple of pictures. Ooh, and this really nice vase for the kitchen table." The loft was beautiful but could use a little more life and color.

"Sure." There was a beat of silence before Diggle spoke up, "It seems you've settled in nicely. I don't know what Oliver would've done if he didn't have you these last few weeks."

"He said the same thing this morning." The thought brought a smile to Felicity's face. "You helped him, too. It's what friends do."

"Right. Friends," Diggle repeated in that voice that suggested he knew something she didn't.

A couple of minutes later, they arrived at the cafe. Diggle trailed discretely behind Felicity as they entered. If it had been Brad with her, Felicity would've felt self-conscious the entire time. With Diggle, she felt completely at ease. Scanning the room, Felicity saw Laurel sitting at a corner table near a window. She walked over to greet her.

"I'm glad you called," Laurel said when Felicity took the seat across from her. Diggle sat a couple of tables over to give them some privacy.

"I had the day off. I thought you might be in court but figured I'd give it a shot anyway."

"Your timing is perfect," Laurel assured her.

"Good." A moment of silence passed between them. It was a little weird not to have either Oliver or Tommy there as buffers. Thankfully, the waiter approached them, breaking the tension, and took their orders.

Laurel spared a glance at Diggle. "Oliver's still got his security team watching you, huh." It was more of an observation than a question.

"Uh, yes. Can't be too careful."

"I agree. We haven't been able to locate Cooper Seldon yet." Laurel, picking up on her unease, was swift to clarify, "Not that we need to talk about this again. I just want to assure you that my father's working on it."

"Thank you. The sooner he's caught, the better."

"And I'm sorry," Laurel added, "for the way I acted when we first met. I shouldn't have drilled you like that. Sometimes my lawyer side takes over, and I get carried away."

Felicity nodded, accepting her apology. "It's okay. You found out one of your oldest friends has another friend that could possibly have criminal ties. It's only natural," she joked.

Laurel laughed softly. "Yeah."

The waiter returned with their drinks, and Felicity placed her hands around the warm coffee mug. The scent of her steaming vanilla latte was soothing. "So, um, what exactly do you do as the ADA?" she questioned in an attempt to move forward. Felicity listened intently as Laurel explained the different aspects of her job. It was impressive learning about how she got to put away the criminals terrorizing the streets of Starling. Quite a few of them, Felicity knew, were apprehended by The Arrow.

Laurel asked about Felicity's background, as well. Felicity tried to tell as much of the truth as she could. It was difficult, since she hadn't actually been living in Boston all these years like she'd told the police. The majority of her experiences and memories were scattered across the country.

"Oliver went to Boston University for awhile. Did you guys see each other there often?" Laurel asked.

Doing the math, Felicity figured out that Oliver would've been at BU when she was starting her first year of MIT. It was kind of strange to think that they'd been in the same city at the same time, only to cross paths later in life. Talk about fate.

"It was on and off. I was in my freshman year of MIT, trying to adjust to being away from home. And Oliver was...well, you know how he was back then." Felicity felt terrible for lying to Laurel, but it couldn't be avoided. "Even though we didn't see each other every day, he still looked out for me," Felicity felt compelled to add. It seemed like something Oliver would do.

"That was nice of him. I used to think..." Laurel trailed off and shook her head. "Nevermind."

"What?" Felicity prodded.

Laurel hesitated before saying, "I always knew Oliver was a good guy deep down, despite the partying and playboy image. We were in love, and for the longest time I thought that he'd actually changed for me. Looking back on it now, I can see how naive I was."

"You weren't wrong, Laurel. Oliver is a great guy."

"Yes, now he is. I can see how much he's grown. But back then...he wasn't the man I thought he was. Sara was proof of that. It's kind of why I was so mean to you that first night we met," Laurel admitted, looking contrite. "Oliver isn't known for having many female friends. When I found out you'd known each other for years and he'd kept it from me, my mind automatically jumped to the worst possible conclusion."

"I kind of figured that," Felicity admitted. "For the record, though, Oliver and I have never been involved like that." She was dying for an answer to her next question but was also dreading it. Ultimately, she needed to know. "Do you still have feelings for him?"

"I'll always love Oliver," Laurel explained, "but I'm not in love with him anymore. Tommy, oddly enough, changed all that."

"How did that start? If you don't mind me asking," Felicity was quick to say, not wanting to be rude.

"It took a while for me to mourn Oliver and my sister. It's hard to be completely furious at the two most important people in your life for betraying you when they're dead. Especially with my sister. I couldn't properly grieve for her for the longest time, because I was so angry. Then the guilt would follow, because how could I be angry with her for falling under his spell? It's exactly what I did.

"A few years later, I found myself running into Tommy. He was always charming. It's like second nature to him. We'd flirt, but I was hesitant for it to go beyond that. He was Oliver's best friend, and I refused to let myself get hurt again. I kept refusing him until he stopped by CNRI, which is where I worked at the time. He had this totally lame excuse about being in the neighborhood." She laughed, shaking her head. "The Glades was the last place Tommy Merlyn would be visiting. But he went out of his way to see me so when he asked me to dinner, I said yes. We started hanging out regularly after that. Then, one night, everything changed. We were kind of together, but we weren't. That was mostly me. I was still afraid. When Oliver came back, everything got even more confusing.

"Oliver said he was sorry for everything he'd done and even though I knew he meant it, I just couldn't stand to hear it. I didn't owe Oliver a damn thing, but I was afraid to tell him about Tommy and me. After all, he and Tommy were still close. Thea was actually the one to tell Oliver about us, and he handled it surprisingly well. Despite Oliver being back, Tommy didn't stop pursuing me. In fact, he went out of his way to show me that I was different from all the other women he'd 'dated.'"

"So you and Oliver never rekindled things?"

"There was a time, after I realized that he'd truly changed, that I thought I might still be in love with Oliver. He did a lot to prove to me that he was different, and I could see it. But it wasn't meant to be. I felt like I was betraying Tommy, and that was reason enough to let the past go. Even when I considered giving Oliver another chance, I got this weird feeling like I still didn't know who he was. I know he was on the island for five years and obviously he changed, but it was something more. It was like he was distracted or purposely distant. We may be friends again, but I feel it even now. Tommy has always been honest with me. It's why I fell in love with him."

Felicity replied, "I can tell that he cares for you, too, but..."

"But why aren't we together?" Laurel finished, swiping a piece of wavy hair out of her face. "I've been asking myself the same question. Unfortunately, Tommy can be just as stubborn as Oliver sometimes. After the Undertaking and the public learning about his father's hand in the destruction, he's been pushing me away. He says he doesn't want to compromise my reputation as ADA, but I know it's more than that.

"Full disclosure, I wasn't antagonistic toward you that first night we met simply because you might've been with Oliver while we were dating. I was more upset by the fact that history might be repeating itself. It's not that I think Tommy is seeing anyone else. It's just that he's shutting me out like Oliver used to, and it's so frustrating. I don't know how to get through to him anymore. It's making me wonder if something is wrong with me," she admitted.

"I'm so sorry, Laurel," Felicity sympathized. She hadn't expected Laurel to be so open with her, but Felicity appreciated it. It helped her to understand the brunette a lot better. "I realize we're still getting to know each other, but I don't think that something is wrong with you. If Tommy is anything like Oliver, he just needs time to sort through his issues. He'll open up when he's ready."

"I hope so," Laurel sighed. She took a sip of her coffee and looked at Felicity with a newfound determination. "So, what's going on with you and Oliver?"

Felicity almost choked on her latte. That caught the blonde off guard, seeing as though she'd just told Laurel a few minutes ago that she and Oliver were friends and nothing more. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not blind. In fact, as a lawyer, my powers of perception are quite astute. _Something_ is brewing between you two."

"W-why would you say that?" Felicity questioned. She wanted to cringe at the nervous stutter in her voice.

"Oh, a bunch of reasons." She began ticking off, "First, Oliver is letting you stay with him. If there's one thing I learned from dating him, it's that he likes his space. Second, he practically bit my head off to defend you from my questioning. Third, I saw you guys dancing. Oliver _never_ dances. Fourth, you guys argue like an old married couple. Five, I've seen the way he looks at you-"

"Wait," Felicity interjected, unable to stop herself, "how does he look at me?"

"I'm not sure I can describe it accurately. It's kind of like this mixture of pride and protectiveness. I can tell that he thinks very highly of you." She pressed on, "And based on the looks you give him in return, I can see that you admire him, as well."

"Just because we admire each other doesn't mean that anything is going on," Felicity protested.

"Lastly and most importantly"-Laurel was grinning triumphantly, looking every bit like a lawyer about to make her closing argument-"you guys went away on a trip to Mexico together. Totally _alone_. According to Tommy, and I have to agree, that means you're either having a hot and heavy tryst or you're a full-fledged couple."

"That's not true," Felicity tried to object. "We weren't alone. Mr. Diggle came with us."

"Bodyguards do not count."

"We had separate rooms."

"Were you in a suite?"

"Why does that matter?"

"That's a yes. It's practically like staying in the same room."

"It was merely a friendly trip to get away and relax," Felicity declared, refusing to give in.

"So you're saying that absolutely nothing romantic happened while you were on that trip?" Laurel folded her arms and leaned forward. She must've learned her interrogation skills from her father, because Laurel was damn good.

"Yes. I mean no," Felicity tried to correct. She could feel a crack in her exterior. It didn't help that her mouth was known for saying things before her mind had a chance to catch up. "What I mean to say is that nothing has changed."

"So something did happen."

"That's not what I said."

"You said that nothing has changed, not that nothing happened," the brunette challenged. "Which implies that something did happen, but you and Oliver are attempting to act like it didn't."

Felicity rubbed at her temples. "Okay, I officially have a headache."

Laurel laughed in amusement. "Sorry. Again, my lawyer side is taking over. We don't have to talk about it. But if you did want to, I'd be willing to listen."

"Isn't it kind of weird with Oliver being your ex-boyfriend and all?"

"No weirder than being completely in love with his best friend now."

Felicity hesitated, debating whether or not to tell Laurel about the kiss. The reality was that she didn't really have anyone to talk to about it. Getting another woman's perspective, especially someone who was familiar with Oliver, might help clear up some of the confusion she'd been experiencing lately. Plus, Laurel had taken a chance to open up to her already.

"Let's say, hypothetically, that something did happen-briefly," Felicity said tentatively.

"Okay. Hypothetically speaking," Laurel repeated, playing along, "who initiated this 'something?'"

"Let's say we both did."

"Who ended it?"

"He did." It still made knots form in her stomach.

"Did he say anything afterward?"

"Just that he thought it would be better not to be with someone he could really care about."

"Then there's your answer right there. Don't give up."

"Laurel, he indirectly said he couldn't be with me."

"True. But he also indirectly admitted that he has feelings for you. That those feelings, if he let himself have them, could lead to something more. Oliver can be a lot of things, but he isn't cruel. If there was no chance of anything happening, he would've told you so." Laurel stared at her for a moment before asking, "Do you have feelings for him?"

"I..." Felicity paused. It was the Pandora's box of questions. Once it was open and answered, there was no going back.

Felicity thought about the first time they'd met at Verdant and how mesmerized she'd been by Oliver. About the first time she'd met him as The Arrow and how they'd both taken a chance on the other. How Oliver had generously invited her into his home, hired her at QC and gave her the opportunity to be a part of a team that actually did good. Felicity thought about all the times he trusted her skills to help him complete the mission and get him and Dig safely home. She pictured their dance, his kind words and how he'd protected her from danger minutes later.

Even when they disagreed, Oliver still took her opinion into consideration. He'd gone so far as to share a piece of his past with her in an effort to regain her trust. Corto Maltese was not much different than Starling, in that Oliver continued to trust in her while protecting her from harm. The kiss, which even now caused her face to burn at the memory, was the first time Felicity truly felt alive in the last several years. The fear of losing Oliver afterward to Merlyn had also been very real and continued to shake Felicity to her core. It was why she did everything she could to help him heal faster.

Saying she had feelings for Oliver wasn't enough. It was so much more, and it had taken root long before Felicity ever realized it. "Yes," Felicity finally admitted. "But I don't think he's ready. I'm not even sure I am."

"Maybe you should take your own advice and give it time."

"It's complicated. Time isn't a luxury we have. I don't live in Starling. My life is in Boston." Eventually, they would bring down Merlyn and capture Cooper. Their time would be up, and they would part ways. Perhaps Oliver was right in the sense that giving in to these feelings would only leave them both in disappointing heartache.

"If time isn't on your side, then make it count while you can. One thing I've learned from all the loss in my life is that every moment is precious. I would give anything to see my sister one more time, and I wouldn't waste a second of it. You shouldn't either."

"Thank you, Laurel," Felicity said sincerely. "I have to admit, I haven't had many female friends over the years."

Laurel smiled. "Well, now you do. I'm glad we did this."

Felicity returned the sentiment. "Me, too."

* * *

It had been a very long day, and Oliver couldn't wait to get home and crash. His brain felt like it was on overload after all of the emails he'd had to write and meetings he had to attend. He hated being behind in his work and having to play catch-up. Not to mention that he'd been thinking about those stolen performance enhancers all day. He'd filled Dig in on the situation on the way home, but there was nothing they could do about it right now. Oliver's stomach growled as he exited the elevator and made his way to the loft. He would have a quick dinner and then go straight to bed.

As Oliver placed his key in the lock, he swore he could hear the muffled sound of music thumping. He wasn't wrong. There was an onslaught of sound when he opened the front door and entered the loft to find the stereo blasting and Felicity dancing in the kitchen. Oliver rubbed his hand across his mouth in an attempt to hide his smile, but it was futile. Felicity had yet to notice him, and he was enjoying the view way too much to interrupt her.

"'Because you know I'm all about that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble. I'm all 'bout that bass, 'bout that bass, no treble,'" Felicity sang while shaking her hips side to side. She still wore her black dress from earlier but had shed her blazer, shoes, and let her hair down. She held a glass of wine in one hand and was tossing a salad with a pair of tongs with the other.

She brought the salad over to the kitchen table, which was already set for dinner. A vase he'd never seen before filled with flowers was in the center. That wasn't the only change. There were a couple of new pictures hanging on the walls, and the patterned rug he was currently standing on definitely hadn't been there this morning. He wasn't the only one who'd been busy today.

"'I'm bringing booty baaack,'" Felicity crooned and did a little spin. Finally noticing him, she exclaimed, "Oliver! I didn't hear you come in."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, don't stop on my account."

"Sorry," she rushed out and made a dash for the stereo control. She turned it off and smiled bashfully. "I was just listening to some music while making dinner."

"Apparently," he teased.

She shook her head at him and asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Starved actually." He placed his briefcase on the side table and shrugged out of his suit jacket. The tie was next to go.

"Wine?" She held up an empty glass and a bottle.

"Yes," Oliver stressed while rolling up his shirt sleeves.

"Rough day?" Felicity surmised.

"More like long." He accepted the glass she handed to him and took a large sip. "What about you? You seem to be enjoying your day off."

"I am."

"You've been busy." Oliver stared pointedly at the potted green bush sitting on the kitchen counter. "What is this?"

"It's a fern. I was going to bring it to the Foundry, since it thrives in low light. I thought the place could use a little sprucing. The loft, too." Felicity further explained, "I might've done some online shopping-and got a pretty good deal on same-day shipping, if I do say so myself. I hope it's okay." She motioned to the vase and pictures. "This place is gorgeous, don't get me wrong, but it feels kind of cold. Of course, if you hate it I totally understand. Everything is returnable."

"No, it looks nice," Oliver assured her. He wasn't big on decorating, and Felicity's additions did brighten up the space. "So what's for dinner?"

"Steak, potatoes, and rice," she said while handing him a plate.

Oliver took a healthy helping of each before taking a seat at the table. Felicity followed suit and proceeded to fill their bowls with salad. "This looks good. I'm glad I didn't decide to grab something on the way home."

"I figured you could use a decent meal after your first day back. I was going to text you about dinner, but then it would've ruined the surprise. I wasn't sure when you'd get home but figured it would be late. Diggle texted me before you left."

"Diggle was in on this?"

Felicity beamed proudly. "He wouldn't have stopped at Big Belly Burger even if you begged him."

Oliver stared at the elaborate setup and delicious plate of food in front of him. It really was a nice surprise to come home to all of this. Felicity's thoughtfulness never ceased to amaze him. "Well played, Ms. Smoak."

"Thank you, Mr. Queen," Felicity replied before triumphantly popping a bite of steak into her mouth. "Anything interesting happen at QC today?"

Oliver considered telling her about the stolen performance enhancers but decided it could wait. He didn't want to ruin their meal with such heavy conversation. "Not particularly."

"Probably explains why I haven't heard from Ray all day. Unless he blew himself up with one of his crazy experiments. That didn't happen, did it?"

"Ray's fine. I saw him this morning."

"Oh, right. Dig mentioned it was some top secret company matter. Is everything okay?"

"I'll tell you about it tomorrow."

"Huh. Color me intrigued."

"Nonetheless, don't expect to hear from Ray."

Felicity, confused by his words, questioned, "Why?" Watching Oliver carefully, she knew the answer as soon as he did that small, shifty thing with his eyes. Felicity had come to learn that it was one of his signs that he was holding back. "You said something to him today, didn't you? Oliver-" she started to protest.

"Felicity," he interjected, "I can't have him bombarding you at all hours of the day."

"He wasn't bombarding me, per say..."

"Felicity, he was calling you before the day even began. And I'm willing to bet that wasn't the first time, since I'm always hearing your phone go off. He would probably be calling you now, too."

"You call me at all hours."

"That's different, and you know it."

"Ray does that with everyone on his team," Felicity explained, spearing a piece of steak with a little too much force. "I don't want to look like I'm getting special treatment because of you."

"That's the thing. You are special, Felicity," Oliver stressed, catching her eye. "You may be working with Palmer but, make no mistake, you're part of _my_ team. What we-you, Diggle and I-do together, it's more than some business venture. We save lives. For that to work, we all need to keep our heads in the game. You won't be able to do that if you're being pulled every which way, and you shouldn't have to. So yes, I said something to Ray and I would do it again if I had to."

The butterflies in Felicity's stomach were doing somersaults at being called "special." She wasn't used to having someone else looking out for her. It was always up to Felicity to take care of herself. It was a welcomed change. Felicity nodded silently in acknowledgement, no longer feeling the need to argue with him.

They continued to eat their dinner. After a couple of minutes of silence, Oliver asked about her coffee date with Laurel.

"It went well," Felicity told him, trying not to blush thinking about what she'd discussed with Laurel. The brunette was right that she should take her own advice. Whatever was going on between her and Oliver, it wasn't something that could be solved in a single afternoon. It wasn't something Felicity could ignore either. It's why she'd decided to surprise him with dinner tonight. She got the feeling that Oliver wasn't used to random acts of kindness, and she needed to spend this time with him to truly sort through her emotions.

Their conversation was light as they finished the rest of their meal. Afterward, they worked together to clean up. Oliver rinsed the dishes while Felicity put the food away. The radio was turned on once more, and Oliver found himself sneaking peeks at Felicity as she happily hummed along to the music. It was hard for him sometimes to see other people acting so normal. After everything he'd been through, Oliver wasn't sure he even knew what normal was anymore. Coming home from work, having dinner together, talking and cleaning up, that was as normal as it could get. Oliver didn't know what it was about Felicity, but she actually made him feel connected to life. It was unfamiliar but also oddly comforting.

"Oh, yes!" Felicity cheered when "Crazy in Love" started to play. It was one of her all-time favorites. Her hips, taking on a mind of their own, began to shake once more.

Her excitement amused him even though he couldn't quite remember the song. "Who's this again?"

"It's Beyonce. Oh my God, Oliver, I know you were away but one does not forget Beyonce. In fact, this song came out before your island days."

"Pop culture isn't really my thing," he said with a shrug. "Doesn't come in handy much when fighting crime."

"Then you are not living, my friend," she teased.

"I think I'll survive." Smirking, he said, "Am I getting an encore now of your killer dance moves?"

Coming to stand beside him at the sink, she poked him in the arm. "Watch it, mister, or I'll make you dance."

"I'd like to see you try," Oliver challenged and flicked his wet hands in her direction.

Felicity's jaw dropped open in shock. "Did you just flick water at me?"

"Maybe."

Fighting back a smile at his childish antics, she declared, "Oh, you are going to be so sorry."

"And why is that?"

"Besides the fact that I can totally infiltrate any electronic device you own and make funny cat videos play on a continuous loop, I bought the most awesome chocolate chip cookies today for dessert. But now I'm thinking I should hold on to those."

"And you know that if there's one thing I'm good at, it's finding cookies."

"You won't find these," Felicity said confidently.

Oliver turned to face her. "The Arrow thinks otherwise."

The blonde took a bold step forward, ignoring the way his tall, strong frame towered over her. "What's he going to do, interrogate me?" There was less than an inch of space between them.

"He would get it out of you, one way or another," Oliver promised, his voice taking on a deeper tone.

"Sounds like fun," Felicity quipped with a flirty smile.

Oliver's breath caught in his throat and his heart hammered at her words. They were so close that he could smell the floral scent of her perfume. See the small, dark blue flecks in her bright eyes. The last time he'd been this aware of her was on that beach in Corto Maltese. It already felt so long ago. His eyes drifted down to her pink lips. Oliver wasn't sure what he was about to do and didn't get the chance to find out when Felicity's phone went off, breaking the spell.

Felicity begrudgingly dragged her gaze away from Oliver's to check her phone. When she read the text message, however, her frustration quickly shifted to concern. "Oh my God, it's Tommy."

"Is everything all right?" Oliver found it odd that Tommy would be contacting Felicity instead of him if something was wrong. A second later, it made sense.

"No. Merlyn Global just suffered a cyber attack."


	15. Chapter 15

**Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope you're all having a safe and happy holiday. Thanks so much for your comments. Enjoy this next chapter and let me know what you think!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

Grunting, Oliver pushed through his last set of one-armed pushups. He was covered in sweat and his muscles ached, but it felt good to be active again. It had taken him weeks to get back to fighting weight, and he was finally ready to get back out in the field. Crime had risen in his absence, and Oliver was eager to make up for lost time.

A beeping sound came from Felicity's computer, and Oliver looked up. "What was that?"

"An armored car was just robbed." Felicity furiously clicked away at her computer. "Police are chasing down the suspects as we speak."

"Where?" Diggle questioned as he landed a final knockout punch to the sparring dummy.

"They're speeding along Fifth and Wayland now."

Oliver stood up and caught the towel that Diggle threw to him. "That's the other side of town. Felicity, can you tap into traffic cameras and keep tabs on them?"

"It hurts me that you even have to ask," she muttered.

Oliver checked the time. "If they're heading north on Wayland, then we could probably head them off-"

"Police just apprehended the robbers," Felicity interjected.

Sighing, Oliver rubbed his hands over his face. So much for getting in on the action again.

As if she could read his mind, Felicity said, "It's probably just as well. A car chase might be too much for your first night back." She could tell that Oliver was chomping at the bit to don The Arrow suit and hit the streets of Starling. He'd been even more determined to recover after Tommy's company experienced a cyber attack a few weeks ago.

Felicity had felt sick as soon as Tommy told her about the Brother Eye message playing on all of the computers. Attacking two companies in the same city wasn't Cooper's style. But since she'd frozen all of his hidden assets and left a very compelling digital trail for the FBI, he must have been hurting for funds. Cooper took more money from Merlyn Global than he had any other company. Felicity didn't think for a second that Tommy's company was targeted at random. Cooper could've chosen Merlyn Global because of its involvement in the Undertaking-it's why he'd been so eager to bring down QC-but this was personal. Cooper must've seen Felicity in the papers with Oliver. Tommy was his best friend and if he couldn't get to Oliver again, then Tommy was the next best target.

At Tommy's request, Felicity had gone to Merlyn Global that night he first called. Oliver was hell-bent on going with her, and Felicity didn't argue. She felt much safer when he was around and craved that stability. On the way over, Felicity had informed Oliver of Cooper's previous attempt to hack into her personal accounts. Oliver confirmed her worst fear by stating he believed Cooper was still somewhere in Starling. He must've picked up on the guilt she'd been feeling at dragging Tommy into this, because Oliver assured her that it wasn't her fault. Her anxiety wasn't totally quelled, but she was able to suppress it for the time being.

When they'd arrived, the police were already there. The suspicious look on Detective Lance's face at her presence was enough to give Felicity pause. Oliver, not missing a beat, had placed a comforting hand on the small of her back. His support helped Felicity to continue forward with her head held high. Oliver stayed with Tommy while Felicity met with the IT team. In between rebooting the system and getting it re-secured, Felicity tried her hardest to retrace Cooper's breach. Although she'd taught him to cover his tracks over the years, he couldn't have pulled off something of this magnitude alone. He'd never been able to before, which meant he must've gotten help somehow. Oliver thought Cooper, having gone off the grid, must've sought out help from Starling's criminal underbelly. Felicity felt compelled to agree. The only thing she could do was make sure it never happened again, and so she spent the rest of the week consulting at Merlyn Global.

While Oliver obsessively focused on his rehab these past weeks, Felicity was meticulous in setting up several digital booby traps of her own. Cooper may have gotten the upper hand that time, but they would be ready the next time he tried to take them on. Oliver had also informed her about the missing performance enhancers. She was actively looking into that, as well. Felicity hadn't expected the world to stop turning with The Arrow out of commission, but she also hadn't expected this much chaos.

"Felicity, it's nothing I haven't done before."

The blonde swiveled in her chair. "All I'm saying is you might want to start with pummeling a few common criminals first. You know, until you find your groove again."

"Then by all means, find me some criminals," he requested before grabbing his spare bow and a couple of tennis balls. Oliver needed to get some more target practice in, since his muscles continued to feel a little tight. He threw the tennis balls and let them bounce a few times before shooting at them. To an untrained eye, it looked like Oliver easily hit the targets. The truth was he didn't possess his usual ease, which only added to his frustration.

Diggle came to stand beside him. "Felicity has a point, Oliver. It might take some time before you're at one hundred percent again. There's no shame in taking it easy your first time out." He seemed to hesitate before saying his next words. "We never actually talked about what happened that night."

Throwing the tennis balls a second time, Oliver took aim. "There's no need. I was injured, and now I'm back."

"You could've died, Oliver. You almost did. It's only natural that you'd feel a need to prove yourself after-"

"Diggle, I'm fine," Oliver cut him off. He really did not want to have this conversation. Sure, Oliver had been having nightmares the first couple of weeks after returning to Starling. He'd wake up in a cold sweat with his wounds throbbing in pain as if he'd just been stabbed. But ever since he'd started training again, the nightmares had stopped. Oliver was finally getting back to his normal self, and he couldn't afford any setbacks.

"Okay, I've got something," Felicity announced. "An alarm just went off at the Starling City Museum of Art. It's most likely an attempted heist."

Oliver was already heading to the display case that held his Arrow suit. He was about to go change when Felicity halted him. "You're going to need this." She reached beneath one of the worktables and placed a large case on top. Opening it, she revealed a long, black compound bow. "After you lost your last one, I thought you might be due for an upgrade. I had it custom made."

Picking up the bow, Oliver looked in awe at its sleek and powerful design. He couldn't wait to try it out.

"How'd I do?" she asked.

"It's perfect," Oliver replied, fighting back the unexpected wave of emotion he felt at receiving such a thoughtful gift. Felicity had really outdone herself with this. She truly never stopped surprising him.

Felicity beamed at the compliment and looked to Diggle, who nodded his head in approval. "You better hurry if you're going to get the bad guys."

Oliver locked eyes with Felicity for a moment. His hand brushed her arm in thanks before he went to change into his Arrow suit. He had a city to protect.

* * *

The piercing alarm echoed throughout the marble hallways. There was no way of telling which corridor it was coming from, as it sounded the same in every area. Since Oliver didn't have the time to do a full sweep of every room, he touched his comm to call Felicity.

" _Oliver, what do you need?_ " was her immediate response.

"Find out where the alarm is originating from."

A couple of seconds later, she responded. " _It's coming from the second floor in the colored diamond exhibit. The quickest route is to take the stairs to your right._ "

Oliver did as Felicity instructed. He called Diggle next, who was on overwatch. "Dig, you see anything?"

" _No one has come in or out of the place._ "

"Then they must still be inside." Oliver made it to the diamond exhibit, his bow at the ready. He scanned the display cases until the one farthest from him caught his eye. It was opened, and there was a man standing next to it. There was another man unconscious on the floor beside him.

"Turn around very slowly," Oliver ordered.

The man stiffened and did as Oliver instructed. He looked to be in his late thirties and was wearing one of the blazers that signified he was part of museum security. His forehead gleamed with sweat, and the hand holding the large red diamond shook. This must've been an inside job gone wrong.

"Please don't shoot me," the man pleaded.

"That doesn't belong to you."

"I had to do it. He said he'd kill me if I didn't."

The sheer terror in his voice caught Oliver's attention. "Who?"

"The Dodger."

It was then that Oliver noticed the blinking light near his neck. The man was wearing a metal collar of some sort. His eyes widened when he realized it was a bomb. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. He said he'd come to me after I got the diamond."

Oliver pressed his comm to speak with Felicity. "The thief is using a museum employee. He's got a bomb collar strapped to him. It must have a remote detonator. Can you trace the signal?"

" _On it_ ," Felicity replied. There was a moment of silence. " _Okay, it looks like the signal is originating from the first floor._ "

"Give me the diamond," Oliver said to the man.

"No. I can't. I have to give it to him."

"I can help you. I know where he is. I'll bring it to him."

The man shook his head once more while backing up. Oliver could tell that he was about to run and, sure enough, he did. Quickly, Oliver threw one of his tranq arrows. It missed the man by a hair. Oliver threw a second one, and this time it caught the man in the leg. Shaking off his frustration at the minor mishap, he grabbed the diamond and proceeded to the first level. A couple of times he had to hide in the shadows to avoid other security guards.

"Felicity, is The Dodger in the same spot?"

" _I'm assuming The Dodger is the one with the remote_ ," she stated. " _In which case, yes. Take a left, and you'll find him in the Dark Ages exhibit. Fitting for a criminal._ _Oliver, be careful._ "

The Dark Ages exhibit was just that, dark. With quiet, measured steps, Oliver entered the room. He weaved in and out of the displays.

"You shouldn't have done that," said a male voice with an English accent. "All of this could've been over by now if you'd minded your own business."

"You're the one who started it by strapping that bomb to an innocent man."

"My methods may seem crude to you, but I really do try to keep these things from turning messy."

The voice sounded like it was coming from around the corner. Oliver approached slowly. "Release that man and come quietly, and I promise I won't make this messy for you."

"It's much too late for that. You see, I have a reputation to protect. I expect my hostages to do exactly as I say. When they don't, then a lesson must be taught."

"That man has nothing to do with this anymore. I have the diamond, and you're not getting it unless you release him."

"I don't believe you."

Oliver cautiously lowered his bow and pulled the diamond out of his pocket. He then swiftly put it away and armed himself once more. A figure moved in the shadows. Oliver tracked it with his bow.

The man stepped into the moonlight beaming through the large windows. It was difficult to make out his features, but he looked to be of medium height with dark hair. For a second, Oliver forgot where he was. A strange sense of déjà vu overtook him as he was reminded of the night he'd faced off against the Dark Archer. He, too, had stood menacingly in the moonlight. Oliver tightened his hold on his bow and focused.

"Drop the remote," he demanded.

"I'm just supposed to take your word that we will have an even exchange?"

"It's him or you. It's your choice."

"Of course I'm always going to choose myself. Then again, you don't get anywhere in this business without taking a few risks. There will be other treasures."

"Don't," Oliver shouted as he pressed the button. An explosion could be heard elsewhere in the museum. He released his arrow, but The Dodger lived up to his name. He avoided the shot and took off down another dark corridor. That was the second time his aim had been off. There was no way Oliver could let him escape, especially after he needlessly killed that hostage.

Oliver chased after him, all the while trying to overcome the anxiety running into the darkness was causing him. It's how Merlyn had gotten the upper hand on him. He wouldn't make that mistake again. He couldn't. The Dodger wasn't that much ahead of him. He was clever, but he wasn't fast. The man didn't stand a chance against Oliver's brute strength.

The Dodger must've realized this, because he suddenly stopped and turned around. It took Oliver seconds to see the blinking red device in his hands. It was a spare bomb collar. Without hesitation, the man threw it in Oliver's direction. Oliver dove to avoid it, but there was no escaping the force of the explosion. He was thrown back against the nearest wall, his body paralyzed for a moment in shock. Smoke filled the room as the flames caught to a few of the displays. He wasn't in the museum. He was in the basement of Merlyn's compound, beaten and weak. He couldn't move.

" _Oliver, are you okay? Get up_ ," Felicity said in his ear. When he didn't respond, she was more forceful. " _Get up_!" For her to see him, she must've hacked into the security cameras in the museum.

Her voice cut through the darkness, quelling the panic building inside of him. Suddenly, he was in control of himself once more. He sat up and took in his surroundings. The flames were getting worse.

" _Oliver, The Dodger is gone. You have to get out of there now_."

"Tell Diggle I'll meet him outside," Oliver said. He didn't know what the hell had happened, but it had made him vulnerable. The situation shouldn't have gotten out of control like that. Now an innocent man was dead, and it was all his fault.

* * *

Felicity shot out of her seat as soon as she heard Oliver and Diggle on the stairs. "Are you okay?" she questioned. Placing a hand on his arm, her eyes scanned his body in search of any cuts or scrapes. The blast had sent Oliver flying. Even though he was fully healed, it was a lot for his body to take his first night back out in the field. Her eyes landed on the small cut over his left eyebrow. "I'll get the first-aid kit."

"I'm fine," Oliver said curtly and went to put his bow away.

Felicity shared a look with Diggle. His mirrored expression of concern increased her own worry. Oliver had the tendency to get pensive, but this was something more.

"Oliver, what happened?" Felicity tentatively questioned.

"The Dodger got away but not before blowing up his victim."

"It's not the first time. I've heard about this guy. He mostly operates out of Europe. They call him The Dodger, because he avoids getting his hands dirty. He uses hostages to do his stealing for him," Diggle explained. "He puts a bomb collar around their necks. Last year, a guy in Madrid didn't steal what The Dodger told him to and he took his head off-literally."

Felicity placed a hand on her own neck and shivered in dismay. "Now this psycho is in Starling City."

"It was my fault," Oliver said.

"Oliver, you can't-" Felicity began but was cut off.

"Yes, it was," he adamantly declared. "My aim was off, and I couldn't stop him." Oliver couldn't believe he'd been so sloppy. So unprepared. So _weak_. All the rehabilitation and training he'd done these past few weeks amounted to nothing. He failed. The rage at letting The Dodger slip away came to a boil. Oliver slammed his hands on the nearest table before flipping it over.

Felicity jumped at Oliver's sudden outburst. She'd never seen him so unhinged, and it upset her all the more. A moment of silence passed before she quietly said, "It is a new bow. You didn't really get to try it out and get used to it before leaving."

He kept his back to them. "It wasn't that."

"Maybe you're not back to one hundred percent like you thought," Diggle commented. "I've seen you training, Oliver, and clearly your problem isn't physical."

"I never said I had a problem."

"You didn't have to, Oliver. Look, I know what it's like to stare death in the face and be the one who blinks."

Oliver turned to face him. "I've stared death in the face before, Diggle."

"And yet you've continued to jump off rooftops and take down bad guys," Diggle countered, approaching him. "You've never let fear stop you before."

"I'm not scared," he growled, fists clenching.

"Merlyn got inside your head, Oliver. He took something from you."

"Thank you for that analysis."

Diggle refused to back down and met Oliver's hard stare with his own. "You can avoid it all you want but until you can take hold of the fear that's in you and deal with it, you might as well have let Merlyn kill you. If you face him again like this, he will."

"That's enough," Oliver shouted.

"Stop it, the both of you," Felicity intervened. She'd seen and heard enough. Clearly emotions were running too high for them to make any real progress. "It's been a long night. Let's pack it in."

"I agree." Diggle had reached his tolerance level of Oliver's stubbornness for the night. He grabbed his coat and left the Foundry.

Oliver stared after him with his hands by his sides. He was rubbing his fingers together. Felicity had picked up on this habit weeks ago. Oliver usually did it when he was frustrated or worried about something. He might not have admitted it, but Felicity knew he'd heard what Diggle had said.

She grabbed the first-aid kit and approached Oliver. "I need to take care of that cut." Oliver looked as if he was going to protest, but she responded forcefully. "Don't even start with me." She pointed to the nearby stool and ordered, "Sit."

Doing as he was told, he took a seat and let Felicity tend to his cut. She made him hold the box, since the table was overturned. In hindsight, Oliver felt like a jackass for losing his temper in front of her. He was surprised that she even came near him after that. Felicity placed one hand on the side of his neck to keep him steady while the other wiped the cut with a disinfectant cloth. Oliver closed his eyes when he felt the sharp sting but held still.

There was barely an inch of space between them. At her closeness, Oliver slowly felt the anger and tension leave his body. All he could focus on was her gentle touch and how it chased the darkness away. She must've been able to sense what she was doing to him, because her thumb started to caress the side of his neck in small, even strokes while she worked.

"All done," she murmured, dropping her hands and stepping away.

Oliver felt the loss of her touch instantly and opened his eyes to find her watching him closely. It looked like Felicity wanted to say something. Whatever it was, she must've decided against it because her only response was, "Let's go home."

Nodding, Oliver stood and went to go change. He didn't feel worthy to wear The Arrow suit anyway.

* * *

It was three in the morning when Felicity heard Oliver's bedroom door open and his footsteps on the stairs. It seemed she wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping tonight. With a sigh, she sat up and grabbed her bathrobe. She refused to let him spend another sleepless night alone.

Opening her bedroom door, she peeked her head out. She didn't see or hear him moving around downstairs. The only sound that could be heard was a soft, whistling wind. Oliver must've gone out onto the balcony. Felicity quietly padded down the stairs and walked over to the windows. Oliver was leaning over the railing, clearly lost in thought as he stared at his city.

Felicity stood in the doorway and shivered. Despite it being early November, the weather had started having more of a winter rather than fall chill. She grabbed the spare blanket off of the couch and went outside. "Doesn't the cold bother you?" All Oliver had on was a pair of sweatpants.

He glanced over his shoulder. "I've had worse."

"Here." Felicity joined him at the railing and handed him the blanket. "You'll catch pneumonia."

"My mother used to say that to me. I had the bad habit of never zippering up my jacket."

"And did you get sick?"

"Sometimes." Oliver placed the blanket over his shoulders. He didn't really need it, but he appreciated her concern. "Did I wake you?"

"Not really," she said with a yawn.

"I did. You should go back to bed."

"I'm tired, but I can't seem to sleep. It must be going around." Felicity nudged his shoulder. "What about you? I thought you'd finally kicked your insomnia these past few weeks."

Oliver frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I live here, too, Oliver. I know you were having trouble sleeping when we first got back. Why do you think I was so adamant about you taking your pain meds? It was the only time you got to rest."

"Diggle...he gave me a lot to think about." He stared at the scattered lights of the city before holding her gaze once more. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked, perplexed at his sudden apology.

"I shouldn't have lost my temper earlier. If I scared you-"

"You could never scare me, Oliver." She tilted her head and cracked an amused smile. "Okay, maybe you did a little bit the second time we met when you had an arrow pointing at me. It was touch and go there for a few seconds when you thought I was a criminal mastermind."

"Even if you were, I probably wouldn't have shot you."

She laughed softly. "Good to know." Her expression then turned serious. "You might have been angry tonight, but you were shaken more than anything. Oliver, I could see you on those cameras." When he didn't respond right away, she urged, "What happened?"

Her bright, caring eyes bore into his, coaxing the truth out of him. "I honestly don't know," Oliver admitted. "I thought I was ready to get back out there, Felicity. I really did."

"What Diggle said...was he right?"

Oliver wanted to once again deny it, but he couldn't lie to her. "Yes." He rubbed his hands over his face and sighed in frustration. "I'm not at one hundred percent. Now because of me, a man is dead."

"Hey," Felicity said, forcing him to look at her. "That was not your fault. The Dodger strapped the bomb collar to that man, and he pushed the trigger."

"Because I wasn't quick enough to stop him. If I hadn't gone there tonight and the man had given The Dodger the diamond like he'd asked, he'd probably still be alive."

"Maybe he would've blown him up anyway. Maybe one of the other security guards would've intervened and tried to stop him and gotten killed, too. Maybe the hostage would've suffered a heart attack from being so stressed," Felicity countered. She hated seeing Oliver get so down on himself and was quick to reassure him. "You're only human, Oliver. You can't control everything, especially when it comes to evil psychopaths."

"I missed the shot, Felicity. He got away."

"So we'll try again. Sometimes we lose. You once told me that," she reminded him. She took a step closer to him and placed a hand on his arm. "That's not what's truly bothering you."

The clarity of her words was just as piercing as her touch. The fire he felt running through his veins was counteracted by the slight tremor in her hand. Oliver noticed that she was shivering. He moved to give her the blanket, but Felicity refused. Instead, she closed the distance between them and wrapped the excess fabric around herself. It still wasn't enough to cover her completely, so Oliver pulled her forward and wrapped his arms around her waist to keep the blanket in place over them. Her ice cold hands landed on his chest, but they did nothing to extinguish the fire burning inside of him.

Being so close to Oliver made Felicity's heart race. The chill she'd felt in her bones moments ago vanished as the blazing heat radiating off of his body poured into hers. It would've been so easy to forget about the matter at hand and get lost in him, but their conversation was too important. _He_ was too important. "What are you afraid of?" she murmured.

"He defeated me, Felicity. Merlyn defeated me," Oliver confessed, finally voicing the fear that had been plaguing him for weeks. That caused him to lie awake at night questioning everything he'd done to get to that point. That paralyzed him tonight and made him doubt if he was worthy to continue being The Arrow. "I was so confident that I would win. It was naive of me to never consider another outcome."

"He hurt you, yes, but he didn't defeat you," Felicity said. "You wouldn't be here if he did."

"I wanted to kill him, Felicity," Oliver shamefully revealed. "I was going to. The way he taunted me about my mother..."

"Does he know who you are?" she asked, panicked.

"No. I only mentioned her name along with the other victims. But he knew she was important to me, and he tried to use her against me. Merlyn had absolutely no remorse."

"I can't imagine what it was like for you in that moment. I also can't give back to you whatever it is in your heart that gives you the courage to fight the way you do. Only you can figure that out." Felicity raised her hand to his cheek. His rough stubble against her sensitive skin and the intensity of his gaze sent a tremor through her. "But what I do know, with absolute certainty, is that you are not alone. And I believe in you."

Oliver's heart skipped a beat as Felicity's words washed over him. Her confident, trusting gaze pinned him where he stood. No matter how much he doubted himself, she was telling him that her faith in him had not wavered. He looked at Felicity in astonishment, wondering what he'd done to have such a beautifully strong and caring woman come into his life.

Instinctively, Oliver pulled her tighter against him and touched his lips to her forehead. He felt the warm breath of her exhale against his neck and, for the first time that night, goosebumps formed on his skin. When Oliver started to pull away, Felicity lifted her arms and wound them around his neck to keep him close. He kept his arms firmly around her and hugged her back. They stayed like that for a long time, neither one wanting to be the first to let go.


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you for your comments last chapter. Hope everyone has a fun, safe, and healthy new year! Please read and review!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

It was late morning when Oliver heard the knock on his front door. Despite not getting much sleep the night before and it being a Saturday, he was already dressed. Oliver had been thinking about his fight with Diggle all night and had called him this morning. He'd asked if they could talk. Since Diggle was already out running errands, he'd agreed to stop over.

Oliver answered the door and stepped aside to let Diggle in. Instead of his normal suit that he wore during the week, he was dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans. "Thanks for coming."

"Sure," he replied.

"Coffee?" Oliver offered.

Diggle nodded and took a seat at the kitchen table while Oliver poured him a cup. Oliver poured himself one as well before joining Diggle at the table. They sat in silence for a moment.

Finally, Diggle was the first to speak. "I'm sorry." He appeared more pensive than the day before. "I didn't mean to come down on you so hard. It's just that I've been where you are. I know what it's like to doubt yourself and your mission."

Oliver shook his head. "You were right, Diggle. Everything you said...it isn't anything I haven't already wrestled with myself. I thought that if I trained hard enough and just acted like my normal self, then I could forget about that night. But I was wrong. I am scared."

"Of what?"

Felicity had asked him something similar last night. Although Oliver meant what he said and losing to Malcolm had shaken him, it was only a piece of the truth. He couldn't completely reveal why he was so affected. Not when Felicity was directly involved.

Oliver began, "I'd been close to death on the island. More times than I can remember, and I never feared it. Because I had nothing to lose." He stared at the dark liquid in his cup and took a labored breath. "But when Merlyn almost killed me, I stared death in the face then. I thought about all of the people I've let into my life since I've been back. My family, Tommy, Laurel, you and...Felicity. That made me afraid. Afraid of what would happen to those people if they lost me again. And for the first time in so long, I had something to lose."

"You really care about her." Diggle didn't need to say Felicity's name for Oliver to know he was referring to her. It wasn't even a question.

"Cooper is still out there. Who would protect her if I was gone?" It had been Felicity's face Oliver had seen just before losing consciousness. She was what propelled him forward those last few steps. Hours before Oliver had pushed her away, but at death's door he'd wanted nothing more than to hold onto her and never let go.

The corner of Diggle's mouth quirked up. It was the typical look he got before departing some words of wisdom Oliver's way. "What you feel for her, Oliver, it has nothing to do with Cooper. You've been drawn to Felicity ever since that night at Verdant. It's obvious."

Oliver didn't even try to deny it. "The path that I've chosen, Diggle, doesn't let me have much of a life. Not to mention everything I've been through. Everything I've done. I'm not exactly a catch at the moment."

"Maybe Felicity will change all that."

"It's not the right time," he said with a shake of his head.

"Oliver, let me fill you in on a little secret. There never is a right time, especially when facing the kind of danger we do every day," Diggle explained, getting that haunted look in his eyes. "When I was stationed in Afghanistan on one of my tours, I was injured by a roadside bomb. I was the only person in my unit who survived. For a long time I was angry and questioned why they all had to die while I was spared. I didn't know how I was going to return to the battlefield after that."

"How did you overcome it?"

"It was in my new unit that I met Lyla. Even she didn't completely understand what I was going through, and she didn't pretend to either. But what she did do was listen to me. She helped me take each day at a time and showed me how to live again. We were married four months later."

"You also got divorced," Oliver, not unkindly, pointed out. Diggle had told him a little bit about his previous marriage to Lyla Michaels. They'd been married while serving in the army. They didn't stay married long, however, once they'd finally returned stateside. It had been difficult adjusting to a normal life that didn't require them to fight a war. Afterward, Lyla had gone on to work for the government while Diggle circled back for his third tour.

"And now we're dating again. Life has a way of working itself out. Sometimes you can't help who you love." Diggle leaned forward to make sure that Oliver really heard what he was about to say. "Maybe you've got it backwards, Oliver. You think the people you let in have taken your edge. I think it gives you one. A strong one. You can stare down death with something to live for or not. Something to live for is better."

Before Oliver could respond, a rustling sound came from upstairs. Felicity's bedroom door opened, and she walked out still dressed in her pajamas and bathrobe from the night before. She smiled happily upon seeing Diggle and Oliver sitting at the table together.

"Well, this is a nice surprise first thing in the morning. Did you manage to get your bromance back on track?" Something passed between the two of them before Diggle acknowledged that he and Oliver were okay. Felicity had hoped that they would work things out between them sooner rather than later.

"Did you guys have breakfast yet?" When they both confirmed that they had, Felicity went into the kitchen to grab herself a muffin and some coffee.

"Nice jammies," Diggle commented as she took a seat next to him and across from Oliver.

Felicity looked down at the Russian nesting dolls print on her bottoms and beamed proudly. "I like to think so." She tore off a piece of her muffin and popped it in her mouth. "So, what were you discussing?"

"We need to find The Dodger," Oliver was quick to reply. He didn't dare look at Diggle, who was probably smirking. "He'll be looking to steal something else, since he didn't get the diamond he was after."

Felicity smiled, glad to hear that her words to him had sunk in last night. They would try again. "You want me to monitor the other museums in Starling?"

"Not exactly. I need you to pull up the police records, so we can see everything The Dodger's stolen so far."

Diggle crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you thinking?"

"We know The Dodger has a taste for a very specific type of antiquity," Oliver explained.

Felicity went to grab her tablet and glasses and rejoined them at the table. It took a couple of minutes for her to get the information they needed. She scanned the police reports and stood the tablet up so Oliver and Diggle could take a look. "These all look like they're from the Ominous Decade. The last ten years of King Ferdinand's reign."

"I'd ask you how you know that, but I think the bigger question is why?" Diggle teased.

"In addition to being a tech genius, I also happen to be a history buff. It's important to be a well-rounded person," she joked back.

Oliver interjected, "Are there any other places that sell or display items from the Ominous thing?"

"Decade," Felicity corrected while doing another search. "Not really. I guess people in Starling City prefer the Elizabethan Era."

"Wait, go back," Oliver instructed as something on the screen caught his eye. "The Starling City Cancer Society. It says right there they are holding a fundraising auction Monday night. We could lure him out into the open."

"With what? A fake?"

"No. The Dodger clearly has a trained eye for this sort of thing. He's not going to fall for anything less than the genuine article."

Felicity ran a hand through her hair, stumped. "Where are we going to get our hands on a rare Spanish antiquity?"

"I'll buy one and donate it. Problem solved," Oliver said with a shrug.

Felicity's eyes widened in shock before accepting it as a viable alternative. "You're a billionaire. Right." Oliver acted so normal-for a vigilante anyway-and selflessly that sometimes she forgot he had the world at his fingertips. "Looks like my shopping trip with Laurel today came at the perfect time." She'd need another dress for the charity auction.

"You're meeting Laurel?"

"Yes. She and Tommy are going out to dinner tonight, and she wanted some help picking out a dress." Laurel's text this morning had been a happy surprise. They'd been in contact on and off since that day at the cafe but both had been too busy to meet up again.

"I talked to Tommy yesterday, and he didn't mention a date."

"Technically, it's not a date," Felicity said. "It's a 'dinner,' but you never know. Maybe he'll finally make a move."

"Sounds like you've been playing a little matchmaker," Diggle commented.

Felicity shrugged innocently. "When I was at Merlyn Global the other day, I might have told Tommy about the hot new defense attorney that's been pursuing Laurel. I'd say some guys need a push, but usually it's a good kick in the butt. Totally clueless."

"I can agree with that," Diggle said, throwing Oliver a not-so-subtle look.

Felicity turned to Oliver. "And before you say anything, I'm taking Brad with us. Even though he is the most boring and uncomfortable man on the planet."

"As long as he keeps you safe, I'm okay with that," Oliver replied, giving her a pointed stare.

The blonde sighed to let him know that she was still put out, but the truth was Oliver's concern made her feel all warm inside. She'd felt the same way last night. After their moment on the balcony, they'd gone inside and watched a random movie on TV. Felicity didn't know when she nodded off, but she vaguely remembered Oliver picking her up and carrying her back to her room. She'd awoken in her bed this morning with the blankets tucked around her and a smile on her face.

"I'll see you guys later," Felicity called to them as she went back upstairs.

Diggle, who'd noticed the way Oliver's eyes followed her the entire time, turned to his friend. "Like I said, something to live for, man." He then patted his shoulder and let himself out.

* * *

"You're going to be late," Diggle told Oliver.

"I'm always late."

"That's true, but it's probably not the best strategy when setting a trap for a dangerous jewel thief," he advised.

Oliver, who was adjusting his tie in the mirror by the front door, glanced at Diggle. "Hey, for once it's not my fault." Felicity was the one who had yet to come out of her room. After leaving QC for the day, they came home to change for the charity auction tonight. Oliver hadn't seen her since.

"Maybe you should check on Felicity. We have to make sure that tracker she put in the broach is even working."

"Since it's Felicity, I'm sure she's got it covered," Oliver replied. At Diggle's firm look, he relented, "But fine. I'll check on her." Going back upstairs, Oliver made his way to Felicity's room and knocked gently on the door.

"Come in."

Oliver opened the door and peeked his head inside. He frowned at seeing the empty room. "Felicity?"

"Yeah," she called from the bathroom.

"We have to leave. Are you ready?"

"Almost. I need your help with one thing."

As soon as Felicity stepped out of the bathroom, Oliver was mesmerized. The gold cocktail dress she wore hugged her curves in all the right places while showing off her shapely legs. Her hair fell in waves against her shoulders, and Oliver's fingers itched with the urge to see if the golden locks were as soft as they looked. Without her glasses, he had the perfect view of her beautiful blue eyes and long lashes. Lastly, Oliver took in her full, pink lips and found himself licking his own.

Seemingly unaware of what she was doing to him, Felicity huffed, "I know we're late, but my stupid zipper is stuck. Hell, I'm lucky I remembered to pull it up. I'm always forgetting that." She turned around to reveal the open back of her dress. "Can you...?"

It took a second for Oliver to shake himself out of his stupor and approach her. He gulped at the sight of her bare back and took a much-needed breath. She was not making this whole platonic thing easy on him.

"Try not to force it," Felicity instructed. "If you do it too hard, you'll rip the dress."

As he placed his hands on her, Oliver wasn't entirely sure that would be a bad thing. He gave the zipper a gentle tug, but it wouldn't move. "Hold on, I think it's snagged."

Felicity had been in such a tizzy over being late that she underestimated what it would be like to have Oliver so close to her again. The feeling of his strong form behind her and fingertips against the sensitive skin of her lower back was making her weak in the knees. When the zipper finally moved and she felt his rough fingers trailing upward, her eyes closed.

After hooking the clasp, Oliver's fingers lingered for a moment. "There. Now you're ready," he murmured thickly.

Opening her eyes, Felicity turned around and smiled. "Thank you." She readjusted his tie despite the fact that it was already perfect. Her hands couldn't not touch him.

"Has the tracker been activated?" Oliver inquired and took a step back. It was hard to think with her so close. "Diggle wants to make sure we're getting a signal on the broach."

Felicity, thankful for the distraction, reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. "Yes," she confirmed after pulling up the app she'd designed specifically for the tracker. "I'm getting a strong signal."

"Good. We should go before The Dodger beats us to the punch."

"I very much doubt he could dodge one of your punches," she quipped and patted his chest before walking around him. "But you're right. We should go."

Oliver followed her downstairs and tried his best not to stare at her backside or the way the small slit in her dress revealed part of her thigh. It was going to be a very long night if he didn't get a grip. He was Oliver Queen, billionaire playboy. Women were supposed to be enamored by him, not the other way around. But Felicity wasn't just any woman. She'd been more right from the beginning, as Diggle had pointed out to him a couple of days earlier.

"You look lovely," Diggle complimented Felicity.

Felicity beamed. "Thank you. Love the tie."

"It was a gift."

"From your mysterious lady friend?"

"Maybe."

"Whoever she is, she has good taste."

Diggle grinned and nodded in agreement. "That she does."

Despite Diggle's concern that they'd be late, they made it to the charity auction in record time. It probably had more to do with his superior driving skills than luck. Felicity knew firsthand how adept Diggle could be at weaving in and out of traffic. He was Oliver's unofficial getaway driver most nights.

Felicity took Oliver's offered arm before they entered the building. "There are a lot of cops here tonight," she noted.

"They're probably looking to capture The Dodger, too."

"Speaking of, have you given any thought to what might happen if this doesn't work and The Dodger absconds with your family jewels?" Oliver and Diggle turned to look at her. Realizing what she said, Felicity was quick to add, "I'm sorry. That came out very wrong."

Oliver patted her arm. "Let's just keep our eyes open, Felicity."

"I'm going to do a sweep and check out the security," Diggle spoke up.

Felicity suggested, "Should we check on the broach first?" They passed through the main room, which had white-clothed tables set up for dining. The buffet table of hors d'œuvre and desserts was over to the left. Across the room, a small set of stairs led to the auction area. Glass displays lined the walls throughout the section.

"Yes." He guided them toward the auction area while nodding at a few familiar faces. Felicity had pulled out her phone and was testing the app once more. It led them right to the proper display case.

"It's beautiful," Felicity commented as she took in the sparkling blue jewels and antique design.

"Yes, it is," Oliver replied with his eyes on her.

"Fancy seeing you here," said a familiar voice behind them. It was Ray. He was also wearing a nice suit and tie. Ray hugged Felicity in greeting before offering his hand to Oliver. Oliver shook it back, resisting the overwhelming urge to break his fingers.

Glancing at the broach, he whistled. "Wow, very nice piece. It's from the Ominous Decade, correct?"

Felicity grinned while Oliver frowned in disbelief. When Felicity spouted random facts, it was cute. When Ray did it, it was downright annoying.

"I'm impressed," Felicity complimented.

"Then I've met my goal for the evening. In truth, I did a bit of research when I saw it on the auction list. I'd hoped you'd be in attendance," he revealed with a charming smile. "I haven't seen you much around the office lately."

"My schedule has been hectic."

"Are you still consulting for Merlyn Global?"

"Yes, but most of their issues since the cyber attack have been resolved."

"Good. We really need you at QC. I think my guys have begun to rely on you a little too much. I have, too, truth be told. You'd be a difficult talent to replace."

Felicity returned the smile, flattered. "Thank you, Ray."

"You're very welcome."

Despite his calm exterior, Oliver felt an undercurrent of irritation. Ray was shamelessly flirting with Felicity right in front of him. Oliver shouldn't be surprised. This was the man rumored to have bought an entire restaurant once for a mere first date. Ray was about as subtle as a gun. "So, Ray, did you donate anything for tonight's auction?" Oliver interjected, forcing the other man to finally tear his eyes away from Felicity.

"I did. It's a new prototype for my next line of smart watches."

"I bet it will be a big hit." Felicity said to Oliver, "The thing practically replaces your computer."

"Sounds useful."

"There are a couple of versions. I can give you one if you'd like," Ray offered her.

Felicity's inner techie fangirl jumped in delight at the prospect. "Ooh, really? That'd be awesome."

"I'll have it delivered to your apartment tonight. You'll have it by the time you return home."

"Wow, that's...thank you." She hadn't expected such a nice gesture from Ray. Glancing at Oliver, Felicity immediately noticed that he didn't share the same excitement. His shoulders looked tense and his hands were doing that shifty thing by his sides.

Diggle rejoined them just as another man, slightly older, in a suit approached. Thomas Moore was the charity director and had come to thank Oliver and Ray for their contributions. He then turned his attention to Felicity. "And who is your lovely date, Mr. Queen?" Mr. Moore inquired.

"This is Felicity Smoak," Oliver introduced and placed a hand on the small of her back.

Felicity shook the director's hand, all the while concealing her shock. The last time they attended an event like this, Oliver was always quick to clarify that she was an old friend. He offered no such explanation tonight.

"Very nice to meet you, Miss Smoak. I hope you enjoy the evening. If you'll excuse me, I have a few other patrons I must speak with."

"We should make the rounds, as well," Oliver rushed to speak up once Mr. Moore had moved on. "There are a few people I'd like to introduce Felicity to. Excuse us."

Felicity offered Ray a brief wave before letting Oliver lead her away. Diggle trailed behind them. "Who do you want me to meet?" Felicity, confused, asked after they were out of earshot.

"No one," Oliver answered curtly.

"Then why did you pull me away so fast?"

"We've got bigger things to worry about. We don't have time for distractions tonight, Felicity."

"I would hardly call a five-minute conversation a distraction."

Oliver scoffed, "I think he had more than conversation in mind."

Felicity stopped short and looked at Oliver. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ray was clearly flirting with you, Felicity, or did that completely escape your attention?"

"Ray is always like that. He was being friendly." Oliver shook his head and was about to turn around when Felicity's hand on his arm halted him. The disapproval was coming off of him in waves. "Oliver, if you have something to say to me, say it."

"We need to stop The Dodger, Felicity. So what I need is your head in the game before he takes off someone else's. You can't do that properly if Ray is talking your ear off all night and distracting you."

"Sure, I will get my head in the game just as soon as you get yours out of your ass," Felicity whispered challengingly. She couldn't believe he was getting so worked up over one stupid, polite conversation.

"Excuse me," Oliver said under his breath.

"All right," Diggle intervened. "Let's all just take a breath."

"Good idea, Dig," Felicity agreed. "I'm going to get some air. I'll let you know if anything changes with the tracker-you know, if I'm not too _distracted_." Her back was to Oliver before he could utter another word.

"What?" Oliver said to Diggle, who was staring at him critically.

"Was that really necessary? Arguing with each other isn't going to help us catch this son of a bitch."

"Ray could talk a deaf man's ear off. What do you think?"

"I think you didn't have a problem with Felicity's ability to focus until she met Ray Palmer."

* * *

Felicity exited the bathroom stall and washed her hands at the sink. She was still fuming about her exchange with Oliver. He was being totally ridiculous. Her conversation with Ray had been innocent and even if it hadn't, it wasn't like Oliver was her boyfriend. There was no need to get so curt with her.

Needing another couple of minutes to herself, Felicity reapplied her lipstick and fixed her hair. Oliver was one to talk about distractions. They were supposed to be acting as a team tonight, and now they were at odds. The stakes were even higher after Oliver's first attempt at apprehending The Dodger failed.

The thought made Felicity pause. Oliver's outburst wasn't just about Ray. He'd been on edge ever since that night at the museum. Felicity had seen firsthand the toll Oliver's fight with Malcolm had taken on him. He was doubting himself, and The Dodger killing that hostage only made it worse. Nothing was more threatening to Oliver than not being in control-especially when it came to himself. Felicity felt her anger ebb slightly and resolved to find Oliver, so they could get back on track.

Felicity had barely walked out of the bathroom when she felt a rough hand on her arm. "What the-" A middle-aged man of medium height and dark brown hair pulled her into a supply closet. "Hey, let go of me!" She struggled against him, but he was too strong.

The man placed his hand over her mouth and pushed her against the door. "Listen very carefully," the man said, his grip tightening to keep her from shouting out. The hand that had been holding her arm reached into the pocket of his brown trench coat and pulled out a metal device. As soon as Felicity felt it clamp around her neck, she knew this man was The Dodger. "You are going to retrieve the broach donated by Oliver Queen and bring it to me. If you don't do as I've instructed and try to go to the police, this collar will detonate and you'll lose your pretty little head. Understood?"

All Felicity could do was nod.

"Good." The Dodger removed his hand from her mouth. "Now off you go, luv."

"Why me?" Felicity couldn't help but ask, unable to keep her voice from trembling.

"Because you're Oliver Queen's date. No one would suspect you of stealing it right out from under his nose." The Dodger smiled and pointed to his watch. "Tick tock."


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys, so I'm updating a day early because I'm leaving on vacation at the end of the week.** ** **Since I will be on a cruise and have no Internet access, I won't be able to update until I get back in a couple of weeks. Thanks in advance for hanging in there!  
****

 **As usual, thank you guys for taking the time to comment last chapter. There's lots more excitement and angst headed your way. Get ready! Please read and review!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

Oliver had done another sweep of the auction area and dining room while Diggle went to the security checkpoints. There wasn't any suspicious activity as far as he could tell. The pair met up in front of the stairs once more.

"No sign of The Dodger," Diggle stated. "Or Felicity. We need her, Oliver."

"Dig, I know," Oliver mumbled and pinched the bridge of his nose. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he started calling Felicity's number when he spotted her across the room. She was rushing toward him with an anxious look on her face. Seeing that she was still upset made his gut twist. Oliver had barely gotten her name out before she threw herself into his arms.

"We have a problem," she rushed out in a whisper. Felicity pressed closer to Oliver, afraid that if any of the security guards got a good look at her then there would be a panic. It would be all over for her if that happened. "Look at my neck and don't react."

As soon as Oliver saw the blinking collar around her neck, his heart dropped. "Diggle," he called urgently.

"Damn it," Diggle cursed. "What the hell happened?"

"The Dodger knows I came here with Oliver. He thinks I have the best chance of stealing the broach. He said if I go to the cops...I'm going to be decapitated, aren't I?" she panicked and started to pull away. "You shouldn't even be near me."

Oliver refused to let her go and rubbed her back. "Felicity, try and stay calm."

"Easier said than done."

"Give Diggle your phone and do what The Dodger said. He'll track you while I get my suit." Oliver had stashed it in a secret spot nearby, so that he could easily retrieve it. He took her small hands in his and looked her straight in the eye. "I won't let anything happen to you. Do you understand?"

Oliver's words broke through the paralyzing fear and she nodded. She believed he would keep her safe. She believed in him. "Yes."

"Go," he instructed before leaving her.

Felicity adjusted her long hair over the collar and handed Diggle her phone.

"Oliver's not the only one who's got your back, Felicity," Diggle quietly assured her. "Even if you don't see me, I'll be nearby. Don't worry."

Not trusting her voice, she gave Diggle a tight but thankful smile. She then walked over to the display case. When she was sure no one was looking, Felicity removed the broach and shoved it in her purse. She had just begun to walk away when she heard Ray call her name. Felicity cringed and didn't dare turn around. _Not now_.

"I must say I'm seriously considering placing a bid on that broach."

"That's good, Ray." Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead as she felt him come closer.

"It would be the perfect addition to my art collection. I just bought a painting by-"

"Um, Ray, I have to go. I'll talk to you later," Felicity blurted out and made a mad dash to get away from him. She couldn't put his life in danger, too.

"Felicity?" he replied. "What are you-hey, where's the...?"

Felicity vaguely heard Diggle's voice behind her. He would take care of Ray and make sure he didn't follow. Felicity walked to the flight of stairs in the furthest corner of the room and made her way up to the roof. She shivered in the cold night air and watched as her breath formed clouds of smoke. Her body was trembling, but it wasn't entirely from the chill in her bones. Walking to the center of the roof, she waited like The Dodger instructed.

The Dodger stepped out of the shadows. "Do you have it?"

"Yes." Felicity retrieved the broach from her purse and held it up.

"I should have a woman do my bidding more often. You're much more efficient than the other male dolts I've worked with."

"Don't you mean held hostage?"

"Mere semantics, luv." He held out his hand for the broach.

Felicity begrudgingly gave it to him. "You've got what you want. Now take this thing off."

"We're not finished quite yet. I need to be extra sure that you didn't tell anyone about me, so that collar will have to stay on until I get out of here safely."

"What?" Felicity exclaimed.

"Don't look so shocked. It really is a brilliant plan."

"Not that brilliant," a deep voice interrupted. It was the voice of The Arrow. "Let her go, Dodger. _Now_." Oliver emerged from the darkness. In response, The Dodger grabbed Felicity and placed her between him and the arrow pointed at his heart.

"This is exactly why that bomb is still strapped around your pretty neck. If you'd only kept your mouth shut..."

"I didn't tell anyone," Felicity lied. "Perhaps you're more predictable than you think."

"Back for more?" The Dodger called to The Arrow. "Was the last man's death not enough blood on your hands? Will you now deprive this young woman of her life?"

"You detonated that bomb," Oliver replied, taking a few steps closer. The Dodger's arms around Felicity and the blinking collar around her neck had his blood boiling. There was also a significant undercurrent of fear, but Oliver suppressed it. There was no time for doubt if he was going to save Felicity. He had to stay strong and in control. She was counting on him.

"You forced my hand, just like you're doing now." He raised his hand with the trigger.

"Let her go, and we'll settle this," Oliver ordered.

The Dodger squeezed Felicity tighter, causing her to gasp. "Don't do anything stupid. Lower your bow."

"Don't," Felicity exclaimed.

"Quiet," The Dodger snapped. "Do it, Robin Hood." Felicity whimpered once more at his constricting grip. Oliver did as The Dodger said. He lowered his bow and dropped the arrow to the ground. "We're not that different, you and I. We both steal from the rich."

"I am nothing like you," Oliver ground out.

"I suppose that's true. I'm smarter." The Dodger smiled cynically. "You want the girl so bad, take her." He tossed Felicity at Oliver, which normally would've been good if it hadn't been for the purpose of blowing them both up. The Dodger, using Felicity as a living grenade, was about to push the detonator. It was then that Oliver threw a hidden dart in his hand. Unlike last time, he found his target.

Oliver caught Felicity before she hit the ground and righted her. He then addressed The Dodger. "Your median nerve's been severed. You couldn't push that button if you tried." Oliver smiled smugly. "By the way, I'm not Robin Hood. And my partner's no Little John."

It was then that Diggle crept up on The Dodger and punched him. He fell to the ground, unconscious. Diggle grabbed the trigger to deactivate the collar. Felicity breathed a sigh of relief while Oliver tore it off and threw it to the side.

"I'm going to take the broach back downstairs," Diggle informed them. "I had to tell Palmer and security that you'd taken it to be shined."

Oliver faced Felicity once more and placed his hand on her cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, thanks to you." She beamed with pride.

"It was nothing," he told her, unable to hide a small smile of his own. "Come on. We need to get you away from here."

Oliver turned to leave as Felicity bent to pick up her purse. She'd dropped it during the hostage chaos. It was pure coincidence that she noticed the crumpled form on the ground across from them stir. The Dodger lifting his head and his good hand seemed to pass in a blur. Through the shock, her mind was able to focus on only one thing-the gun in his hand.

"Watch out," Felicity exclaimed and pushed Oliver out of the way. She cried out in pain as the bullet pierced her skin.

"Felicity!" Oliver shouted and raised his bow. It was like his mind completely disconnected from his body, and all that was left was pure protective instinct and rage. Before Oliver could even comprehend what he was doing, he let loose one arrow after another until all three were buried in The Dodger's chest.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Oliver questioned Felicity. They were in the Foundry. Felicity sat on a stool with a blanket wrapped around her chest as Diggle tended to her wound. The bullet had hit her in the right shoulder. It wasn't fatal but still hurt like hell.

"Nuh uh," Felicity refused yet again. "You and Diggle never go to the hospital. Besides, Dig gave me some of those aspirins." She tilted her head and gazed at him curiously. "Are you spinning?"

Oliver looked to Diggle, who mouthed "Oxycodone." Felicity hadn't been wrong about the drug making her loopy. After he'd taken care of The Dodger, Oliver and Diggle had quickly and quietly gotten Felicity out of there. The SCPD would handle the rest.

"You were very brave," Diggle complimented.

"It was nothing. I always wanted to say I've taken a bullet for someone and now I can," she said happily.

"It'll heal fine, but you'll have a scar."

"Ooh, my very own scar." Felicity sounded delighted. "You and Oliver are always comparing war wounds. Now I won't be the odd man out-or woman. Whatever. Can I have another aspirin?" She held her hand out like a child waiting for a piece of candy. "Pleeaase..."

"Not yet. If I give you any more, you won't be able to walk straight," Diggle joked. "I'm finished anyway."

Oliver came to inspect the wound. John had patched her up well. Of course, it wouldn't have been necessary if Oliver hadn't let Felicity get shot in the first place. The anger and guilt threatened to overwhelm him, and he was sure it would take hold later. For now, his priority was taking care of Felicity.

While Diggle put away the medical supplies, Oliver helped Felicity with her dress. He zipped it back up. Unlike earlier tonight, he refused to let himself enjoy the feeling of her soft skin. "We need to get you home."

"I could use a nap. Vigilantism is hard work. I don't know how you go out in the field every night. Criminals are exhausting!"

Diggle snorted in response. Oliver grabbed his suit jacket and placed it over her shoulders before helping her to stand. Felicity wasn't exactly steady on her feet, so he wound an arm around her waist. He helped her up the stairs while Diggle went ahead to the car. Oliver sat in the back with Felicity and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

"Diggle, do you ever get sick of being stuck in traffic?" Felicity asked mid-yawn.

"I wouldn't mind driving one of the old army tanks again. That would certainly help us get places faster."

"You could blast the other drivers right off the road," Felicity giggled. "It's like that old Battlefield video game. God, I was so good at that." She continued to ramble for the rest of the drive home. Since it was late, the drive was much shorter than usual from the lack of traffic.

Oliver remained silent and stoic until they pulled up in front of their building. He got out first and offered Felicity his hand. She hissed in pain as she twisted to get out. "Are you okay?" He was asking her that a lot tonight.

"Whoa, I want off this roller coaster," the blonde mumbled, swaying.

"You need help taking her up?" Diggle asked.

"No, I've got her. Thank you, John." His partner knew it was for more than the offer.

"You're welcome. See you tomorrow. Felicity, feel better."

"Night, Little John."

Diggle shook his head and returned to the driver's side. Before getting in, he said, "Because you're injured, I will let that slide."

"Ugh, not more walking," Felicity whined and placed a hand to her head.

"I've got you." Oliver placed one arm under her knees and the other along her back before hoisting her up into his arms. He made sure that the shoulder resting against his chest was the one uninjured. Almost immediately, Felicity snuggled into him.

"You're really strong," Felicity observed almost wistfully.

Oliver carried her through the main doors. The two men at the front desk stared at them with wide eyes. "Is she okay?" Carl, the night manager, asked.

"I got shot tonight," Felicity automatically answered.

"She means she had too many shots," Oliver amended and the men smirked in understanding. He kept a steady path to the elevators and shrugged casually. "The girl is a lightweight."

"Are we home yet?" Felicity yawned.

"Almost," Oliver assured her as the elevator ascended.

One of Felicity's hands was drawing circles on his chest. "What do your tattoos mean? I've always wanted to ask." Her hand rested over the star on his left side.

Oliver hesitated before answering. "The star is a symbol of the Bratva."

"The dragon on your back?"

"Shado had the same tattoo. It honors her."

"And the Chinese symbols?"

"They mean a few different things. It's a long story."

"I wanted to get a tattoo once, but I chickened out. I freaked before the guy even touched the needle to my skin." Her fingers resumed their lazy circles.

It was a relief when the elevator doors opened. His hold on Felicity and her light touches were getting to him. He'd come so close to losing her tonight. It was pure luck that the wound wasn't fatal. Those first few seconds after she'd been hit had been the most terrifying. Oliver's instinct now was to hold onto her tight. To make sure that she was real and safe and breathing. A tiny voice in the back of his mind, on the other hand, whispered of selfishness and unworthiness to seek such comfort in her.

Minutes later they were in the loft. Oliver carried Felicity up the stairs and into her room. He paused for a minute, unsure what to do. He would've laid Felicity on the bed but getting shot meant her dress was dirty and stained with blood.

"Do you think you can stand?" he asked her. "You should change out of that dress."

"If I have to," Felicity sighed, not liking any situation that forced her out of Oliver's arms. But he had a point. Her hold on him tightened for a moment before she let him release her. Oliver set her gently on her feet. The room continued to sway, but she managed to stay upright.

"I'll just..." Oliver turned around to give her some privacy. He wouldn't leave her until she was safe in bed.

Felicity grabbed her pajamas and attempted to unzip her dress, but it was useless. Her movements were sloppy and constricted from her injury. "Frack," she cursed. "Um, Oliver, the dress is winning. I need your help."

Oliver swallowed hard and faced her once more. Spotting her bathrobe at the end of her bed, he grabbed it and draped it over her shoulders. He then pulled her forward and reached behind to undo her dress for what felt like the hundredth time that night. They were so close that their breath mingled. For the first time since Felicity took the painkillers, she was silent. Once the dress was undone, Oliver turned her around and instructed her to hold onto the bathrobe. He carefully pulled the dress down until it slid to the floor.

Felicity stepped out from the fabric and tightened her robe before walking over to the bed. The effort it would take to get her pajamas on wasn't necessary. She didn't look at Oliver in fear that he would see the flush forming on her skin. After laying down, Oliver pulled the covers up and over her.

"Do you need anything else?"

She reached for his wrist. "Can you sit with me until I fall asleep?" She wasn't ready to be alone yet.

"Sure." Oliver sat down beside her.

"Do you think we'll ever attend an event when one of us won't be held at gunpoint?" Felicity mused.

"Maybe third time's the charm."

"You were really brave tonight."

"Felicity, you had a bomb collar strapped to your neck and then took a bullet for me," Oliver argued. His voice took on a hard tone at the end as he re-imagined Felicity on the ground, bleeding.

Felicity might've been feeling a bit spacey, but she wasn't so out of it that she couldn't detect the hint of self-loathing in his voice. "But you're the one who ultimately defeated The Dodger. Your aim was perfect. I knew you could do it."

"Try to sleep," Oliver coaxed her.

"No," Felicity replied, fighting the haze in her mind. He needed to listen to her. She tried to sit up, "Don't doubt yourself. You're a hero, Oliver." She gasped in discomfort as pain shot through her shoulder.

"Hey, okay." Oliver gently guided her back down. "I hear you," he soothed and ran a hand through her blond locks. "But right now, you need to rest."

Felicity placed her hand over his to keep it in place. "I am tired." Her eyes closed and a low, happy yawn escaped her as she snuggled her cheek against his touch. "And to think I was so mad at you for snapping about Ray."

Oliver remained silent while gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. It seemed to soothe her. "You were so ridiculous," Felicity sleepily continued. "I like Ray, but he's not you."

Her words made him pause. For a second, Oliver thought he hadn't heard her correctly. Even if he had, the painkillers were making her incoherent. Felicity didn't know what she was saying. Her eyes opened, still fighting the fatigue and confusion. For the briefest of seconds, her bright, cerulean gaze cleared and pinned him down. "I love you," she murmured with a surety that both lifted and unnerved him.

"Felicity," Oliver whispered, but it was no use. Her eyes had already shut, and she was fast asleep.

* * *

Groaning, Felicity woke to an onslaught of pain in her shoulder. It took a moment for her to remember what exactly had happened the night before. The painkillers Dig had given to her really had knocked her out. She'd been in a deep sleep all night.

Reaching back with her good arm, Felicity felt the bandage on her right shoulder. She got up slowly to test out her legs. They were much sturdier this morning now that the painkillers had worn off. Walking over to the mirror, she pulled her bathrobe down and peeled off the bandage. The stitches were small and clean. Diggle's medical training in the army sure had paid off.

The knock on her door had Felicity quickly covering herself. "Felicity, are you awake?" came Oliver's voice.

"Yes," she replied.

"Are you okay?" He sounded concerned.

Retying her bathrobe and holding the top closed, Felicity went to open the door. She stuck her head out and saw Oliver dressed in jeans and a sweater. "You're not going to the office today?"

"No. I've got business at Verdant. I'm supposed to meet Tommy in an hour. How are you feeling?"

"Like some jerk shot me in the shoulder," she joked. "Other than that I'm fine."

"I'll get you something for the pain."

"No," Felicity quickly objected. "No more painkillers." Last night was kind of a blur, but she remembered enough to feel embarrassed.

"I'll get you regular aspirin. I promise."

Since her shoulder was burning something fierce, she relented, "Okay. I'll be downstairs in a few minutes." Felicity shut the door once more to change. The sight of her cocktail dress on the floor had her turning red. Felicity couldn't believe she'd asked Oliver to help her get undressed. Oliver standing so close while his hands undid the zipper and pulled the dress down her body was the one blindingly clear memory from last night. She placed her hands over her face and shook her head. "How do I get myself into these situations?"

Felicity changed quickly into a tank top and a pair of jeans. She didn't want to keep Oliver waiting and make him think that something was wrong. Before leaving her bedroom, Felicity grabbed her glasses and put her hair up in a ponytail. True to his word, Oliver was waiting in the kitchen with a couple of aspirins and a glass of water.

"Thank you," she said and gladly drank them down.

"I need to check the wound," Oliver told her. "Do you mind?"

Felicity shook her head and turned around. "I already did, but go ahead." It wasn't like she was an expert on these things. She felt him gently peel off the bandage. As usual when she was nervous, she felt the need to fill the silence. "I'm sorry if I was a handful last night. I wasn't exactly myself. Painkillers always make me loopy."

"You did warn me about that." His fingers traced around the wound. He was probably inspecting the skin, but it didn't stop a shiver from running up her spine. "What's the last thing you remember?"

The room suddenly felt like a thousand degrees. "Um...I think I was having some dress issues. Thanks for, uh, helping me with that, by the way," she rushed out. "Not all men are such gentlemen in that type of situation." She immediately thought of Cooper and his occasionally inappropriate comments over the years.

"So that's it? No memory of anything after that?" Oliver prodded.

Felicity frowned, drawing a blank. "No, why? Did something else happen?" An array of not-so-flattering scenarios came to mind. "Crap, I didn't start singing Spice Girls, did I?"

"No," Oliver reassured her. "Nothing like that." He put the bandage back on and turned her to face him. "I know it hurts, but the wound looks good."

"Good," she acknowledged. Felicity watched him closely and couldn't help but get the feeling that he was holding something back. She didn't push it, though.

"Thank you," he said, meeting her eyes.

She smiled. "You're welcome."

"About The Dodger..." Oliver trailed off. "I know how you feel about...killing. Felicity, I-"

Felicity shushed him before he could get another word out. "Oliver, I'm not judging you. Please don't think that," she assured him. "Working with you these last couple of months, I've learned that not every situation is black and white. Sometimes the bad guys leave you no choice. If it comes down to you or them, then of course I choose you. I'm just sorry that I was the one to put you in that type of situation. If I'd been paying attention, he wouldn't have-"

"Felicity," Oliver interjected and took her hand in his. He couldn't let her take the blame for this. He wouldn't. "The Dodger had you, and he was going to hurt you. He _did_ hurt you. There was no choice to make." He gave her small, reassuring smile. "Besides, I'm partially to blame. What I said to you about being distracted, I was out of line. I'm sorry."

"I was actually coming to find you before The Dodger cornered me. I knew that facing him again was stressing you out, and I will admit that Ray can get carried away-"

"Felicity, it wasn't only that," Oliver admitted. "When I decided to become The Arrow, I was going to do everything by myself. But then I met Diggle, and I wasn't alone anymore. Now with you...I've come to rely on you, too."

Felicity gently squeezed his hand. "Oliver, you don't have to worry about Ray," she told him softly. "I'm still your girl." At Oliver's slightly shocked stare and realizing what she said, Felicity hastily corrected, "Not your _girl_ girl. I'm your _IT_ girl. What I mean is I'm your partner." She wanted to kick herself for how out of sorts she sounded. She could feel her cheeks flushing.

Oliver watched her silently with a tiny grin threatening to take hold. Felicity was most honest mid nervous babble. He caught himself, though. He'd made a decision this morning, and he was sticking with it. Suddenly, Oliver pulled his hand away from hers. "Try to take it easy today and have Diggle redress the wound."

Felicity frowned at the shift in Oliver's demeanor. The intimacy of the moment was lost as his voice took on a more formal, detached tone. "Okay. Um, do you want me to make dinner tonight before we head to the Foundry?"

"No. Don't worry about me. I'll be gone most of the day. I'll meet you there." He checked his watch. "I gotta go."

Felicity wondered if she had said something wrong. It's not like Oliver wore his emotions on his face often, but there had definitely been a cold shift. Looking after him, Felicity got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She'd come to rely on him, too, and not just for her safety. The more time they spent together, the more she craved his warmth. Shaking off her unease, Felicity went to get ready for the day. Oliver was probably eager to put last night behind them and move forward. Felicity would do the same.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi everyone, I'm back! I decided to update early for you guys since you were all so patient while I was away on vacation. I'm still catching up on my _Arrow_ and Olicity news. This week's episode is most definitely going to hurt. I'm mentally preparing myself now.**

 **Thank you all for your comments. Please read and let me know what you think!**

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

"Damn it," Diggle cursed as Oliver smacked his ribs with the wooden staff he was holding.

Oliver grinned smugly. "I told you not to leave yourself open like that." They'd been training and sparring for a few hours. There had been a couple of strange deaths over the past week. The police reported that they appeared random but also violent. Oliver and Diggle wanted to be ready for anything as they looked into the occurrences.

Diggle shook his head at Oliver and grabbed a towel. "You are getting way too much enjoyment out of this."

"It's the little things in life."

"Right," Diggle snorted.

"Still at it?" Felicity questioned as she came down the stairs into the Foundry. "If you guys are going out tonight, you should probably take it easy."

"This is me taking it easy," Oliver replied, barely sparing her a glance, before laying a few powerful hits to the sparring dummy with his staff.

"Glad I'm not a criminal. Well, not anymore," she added and took a seat at her computer station. Felicity watched Oliver a moment longer. When it was clear that he was focused on beating the crap out of the inanimate object, she turned to face the monitors.

Felicity shouldn't have been surprised, since Oliver had been acting distant for an entire week now. Most of their interactions revolved around business, whether it was regarding QC or protecting the city. It seemed like Oliver went out of his way to avoid her otherwise. He no longer joined Felicity for meals. He was usually gone in the morning before she woke up and had yet to eat dinner at the loft before going to the Foundry.

Even simple touches had ceased. It seemed like Oliver went out of his way to avoid contact with her. Just the other day he'd gotten a few scrapes and had insisted on cleaning them up himself. When Felicity had put her hand on his arm to express that it was no trouble, he'd immediately pulled away from her. Oliver had always been reserved, but it was like he'd built another wall around himself. It left Felicity feeling confused and slightly on edge.

"Any other information provided by the police about those deaths?" Oliver asked.

"The victims weren't innocent. They had criminal records, but so far no obvious connections to each other."

"What about the performance enhancers?"

"Nothing new on that front either," Felicity answered. She'd tried tapping into QC security footage, but the exact recording she needed was missing. If they were going to find those drugs, they would have to investigate from a different angle. "But I do have a program combing through QC records and reports on the project to see if anything significant pops up. I'm also looking into the test subjects to see where they ended up. If those treatments were addictive, maybe one of them is responsible."

Oliver landed one last hit with his staff. "Good. I need addresses. Even if nothing suspicious comes up, I need to talk to them. Find out what they know."

"Okay. I'll have them for you tomorrow."

"Good. Tonight we have to focus on these murders. I need you to pull up any traffic or security cameras in the area. If you can hack into the police reports again, maybe we can get a few more clues."

"I'll work on it, but I can't tonight."

"Why?"

"Ray invited me to dinner."

It was the first time Oliver truly looked at her since she'd entered the Foundry. "Oh."

Felicity glanced at Diggle, who also appeared surprised. "Not _dinner_ dinner like a date. It's a work dinner. He invited a few people from the department. Sort of like a thank you for all the hard work we've been doing. But since dinner is technically only a meal you can eat at night, I need the night off." Felicity watched Oliver carefully. As delighted as she was to receive an invitation to spend time with her colleagues outside of work, another part of her wanted Oliver to ask her to stay. "Is that okay?"

Oliver was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then: "Do what you want."

Hiding her disappointment at his flippant response, Felicity forced a smile. "Okay. The program will be running tonight, so don't touch this computer." She grabbed her purse and stood to leave.

"Diggle, can you go with her?"

"Actually, that won't be necessary," Felicity informed them. "Ray offered me a ride tonight."

"Ray can't protect you if something goes wrong."

"It's a work dinner, Oliver. It's not some top-secret spy mission."

"Cooper is still out there," Oliver stressed.

"Yes, I know. I'm well aware of that," Felicity replied, trying desperately to hold onto her patience. "But he has yet to show his face or come after me outright. So I think I can handle one night alone."

Oliver approached her. His tall, intimidating form loomed over her. "One chance is all it takes, Felicity."

Felicity refused to back down. "Oliver, I'm going to this dinner with Ray. _Alone_." When he looked like he was about to start arguing with her again, she retorted, "It's my life. It's my choice."

Oliver watched as Felicity left the Foundry. When he heard the door at the top of the stairs close behind her, he absentmindedly snapped the staff in his hands. This was not the plan he'd had in mind tonight. Sighing in frustration, Oliver rubbed a hand over his face.

"You can't say the girl doesn't have any fire," Diggle commented, impressed.

"Diggle, I need you to go to the crime scenes. Canvas the area. Ask around about the victims," Oliver instructed while grabbing his suit.

"Where are you going to be?" Diggle already knew the answer but felt the need to ask anyway. When Oliver remained silent, he patted his back. "I'll take care of it. Do what you gotta do, man."

* * *

The restaurant where Ray had taken Felicity was one of the most expensive in Starling. Unless you were someone rich and important, it could take weeks just to get on the waiting list for a reservation. Another perk was the wall of windows that let its customers get one of the best views of the city. As Oliver would expect, Ray made sure his guests were at the best table with the most breathtaking view.

It worked in Oliver's favor, because he could clearly see Felicity from his perch on a rooftop across the street. He was crouched low in the shadows. Every few minutes his eyes would do a sweep of the street and the surrounding buildings. Felicity was probably right that Cooper wouldn't show his face in a crowded area, but Oliver wasn't willing to take any chances.

After finishing his most recent scan of the surroundings, his eyes returned to the beautiful, smiling blonde. Felicity wore a blue dress that clung to her curves in all of the best ways. Her ponytail from earlier was gone and instead only the top part of her hair was pulled back. Of the six people present, Felicity was the only woman at the table. It didn't seem to make a difference; Felicity held her own with these men. Every time she spoke she managed to elicit smiles and laughter in typical Felicity fashion. It didn't matter where she was or who she was with, Felicity always managed to light up a room.

Currently, she was talking with the IT director. Ray sat on her other side, and it wasn't long before he called her attention back to him. Oliver's entire body felt stiff, like one of those stone gargoyles that were found on the rooftops of Starling's historical buildings. The only difference was that his blood ran hot rather than cold, especially when Ray would lean in really close to speak to her. Or when Ray's eyes would sneak glances at Felicity when she wasn't looking.

As much as it irked him, Oliver couldn't necessarily blame Ray. He knew firsthand what it was like to be mesmerized by Felicity. To feel the electricity in his veins when she was near. This past week had been a whole new form of torture as he tried to distance himself from her. He told himself that it had to be this way. That it was for her own good. That no matter what he felt for her, his number one priority was to keep her safe. The fresh scar on Felicity's shoulder was proof that he'd failed in that endeavor. Oliver wouldn't fail her again.

He watched as they finished their dinner. When their dessert was brought out, Ray held up his glass. He must've been making a toast to the team. Felicity smiled with the rest of the group as they clinked their glasses. Oliver could tell that she was happy, and it warmed his own heart. Felicity hadn't told him everything about her years with Brother Eye, but he knew that she'd never felt like a part of a true team. That it was difficult for her to have a life outside of them and accomplishments she could call her own. It made Oliver all the more pleased with his decision to have her work at QC in addition to helping with his mission as The Arrow. Felicity deserved it, and he wanted her to have it all.

Oliver shifted in his spot when he noticed Felicity close her eyes and smile after having a bite of her chocolate cake. Ray started laughing and said something to her. Felicity opened her eyes and started laughing along with him. Their exchange looked easy and lighthearted-so unlike the exchange he'd had with her earlier. Ray then cut into his own dessert and held the fork out to her. Felicity appeared surprised for a moment but let him direct it toward her mouth. The simple yet intimate gesture made Oliver feel like someone stabbed him through the chest and twisted the knife. He stood up and turned his back to them in an attempt to squelch the hot wave of jealousy that consumed him. He was being irrational and ridiculous. Oliver had no claim on Felicity. Isn't this what he'd wanted to happen when he pushed her away? To make her forget about him and the connection that was growing harder and harder to ignore?

 _Get a grip_ , he ordered to himself. Oliver was so lost in his own muddled thoughts that he almost didn't hear the alarm nearby go off. It took a couple of seconds to get his emotions back in check. When he peered over the edge of the building, he saw three figures dressed in black at the bottom. They were leaving the bank with sacks in their hands. It was the first time Oliver was relieved to see illegal activity. It was exactly the distraction he needed to let off some steam.

* * *

"...so I told the guy if he didn't stop trying to force it, he was going to blow the whole system and catch the lab on fire," Ray said as he held the door open for Felicity. They were in the lobby and making their way out of the building.

"What happened?"

"He didn't listen, the system exploded and the lab burned down to the ground. Luckily, no one was hurt."

"Oh my God," Felicity laughed. She put her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry. It's not funny, but it kinda is."

Ray chuckled along with her. "It definitely wasn't at the time, but I find that minor mishap hilarious now."

"That mishap was a little more than 'minor,'" Felicity pointed out.

"The great inventors never achieved success without making a few mistakes along the way."

"Obviously," she joked. Once outside, the smile on Felicity's face morphed into a frown. There were at least three police cars a little ways down across the street. A crowd had started to gather around. "I wonder what happened."

"There was a robbery at the bank," the young valet attendant answered.

"Was anyone hurt?" Ray asked, concerned.

"No one but the robbers. The Arrow stopped them before they could get away." The young man's voice was filled with awe and excitement.

Felicity froze in her tracks. "The Arrow was here?"

The attendant nodded eagerly, clearly busting at the seams to tell the story. "He took them down in seconds and then strung them up and left them dangling for the cops to find."

"I'm sure it wasn't seconds," Ray cut in, looking deep in thought. "That would be physically impossible and mathematically improbable. He probably got it done in five minutes."

"It was seconds, man. I swear."

"Again, highly unlikely." Ray, grinning patiently at the awestruck adolescent, held his hand out for his car keys.

Felicity's eyes automatically scanned the rooftops, but it was too dark to see anything. She was so distracted that she almost missed Ray holding her door open for her. "Thank you," Felicity said absently and got inside the sleek, black sports car. Her mind was whirling. It could've been a coincidence that Oliver made it in time to stop the robbery, but that was a stretch. Oliver was supposed to be in The Glades tonight with Diggle investigating the string of murders.

"Felicity," Ray called to her.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay? You kind of disappeared on me there."

"Oh, sorry," the blonde apologized. "What were you saying?"

"There's this amazing jazz cafe just around the corner. I was wondering if you wanted to stop in for a bit. They have the most amazing cappuccinos. I think you'd really enjoy it."

"That sounds really nice, Ray, but do you mind if I take a rain check? I've got an appointment early tomorrow morning. I shouldn't get to bed too late." Felicity felt horrible for lying to Ray, especially when he'd been so nice to her all night, but there was no way she'd be able to focus on him with Oliver on her mind.

"Oh, of course."

Minutes later they were pulling up in front of the apartment building. Felicity stayed seated as Ray came around to open her door. He always had to be the perfect gentleman. She took his hand and let him guide her out. "Thank you so much for tonight. I really had a great time."

"It was my pleasure. You're an important part of the team, Felicity." He gestured to the building. "Would you like me to walk you up?"

"Oh, no. I'm fine. But thank you." Felicity gave him a small smile and was about to leave when she felt his hand on hers, halting her. "Ray?"

"Felicity, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?" She was acutely aware of him still holding her hand.

"I was wondering if you would like to do this again sometime. Dinner, I mean. Not with the team. Just with me."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"Uh, yes," he confirmed with wide eyes. "I most definitely am. To be honest, I've wanted to ask you for a while now. I've never met anyone like you. But we work together, and I was afraid it would be weird. I try to keep my work relationships platonic. Then again, you're a consultant and not a full-time employee. So it's not like it would be _that_ weird." He took a much-needed breath. "Right. Anyway...what do you think?"

Felicity looked down at their joined hands. Ray was a great guy. Felicity truly admired all that he'd accomplished even before she'd met him. From her first day at QC, Ray made her feel welcomed and treated her with respect. His mind was absolutely brilliant, and the fact that he looked like a Disney prince didn't hurt either. On paper, he was the perfect guy. There shouldn't have been a reason to say no. The heart, however, was completely different from the mind. And her heart already knew without a doubt who it wanted. It wouldn't be right to string Ray along.

Glancing up at the building, Felicity took a deep breath before looking at the handsome and hopeful man in front of her. "Ray, you're an amazing guy and I really am flattered but I can't."

"Why not?" he questioned. "Are you worried about what the people at the office will say? Because no one has to know."

"It's not that," she tentatively replied and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "There's...there's someone else."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He reluctantly let go of her hand. "I didn't realize you were dating someone."

"I'm not but..." Felicity trailed off, unable to say it.

"But there's _someone_."

"Yes."

Ray stared at her for a moment, searching. It didn't take long for his clever mind to put the pieces together. "Oliver," he declared resolutely, if not with a tinge of sadness. Felicity silently nodded. "I understand."

"This isn't going to change anything, is it? We'll still be able to work together?" Felicity didn't want things to be weird between them. The thought of Cooper and how he'd turned on her after he didn't get his way entered her mind. Felicity fought against the panic threatening to take hold of her. Ray wasn't like that-or so she hoped.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Of course we will." When Felicity pulled him in for a friendly hug, Ray whispered, "I hope Oliver realizes how lucky he is."

"Goodnight, Ray," she said with a small, relieved smile and drew back. Felicity made her way into the building. She exchanged pleasantries with the guys at the front desk, all the while trying to sort through the jumbled mess in her head.

Stepping off the elevator, Felicity pulled out her keys to unlock the front door. The apartment was dark except for the city lights beaming through the windows. Oliver stood in front of one with his arms folded, looking out. He was still in his Arrow suit but his hood had been pulled back, his mask gone.

Felicity, frowning, turned on the lights. "What are you doing in the dark?"

"Thinking."

"When did you get back? I thought you'd be out late with Diggle."

"Not too long ago."

"You didn't change?" When he didn't respond, Felicity put her purse on the table and proceeded to take off her coat. "Did anything interesting happen tonight? Find any leads on those murders? Put away some bad guys? Stop a bank robbery near the restaurant that I was at perhaps?" She joined him by the window. "I should probably be mad that you followed me despite what I said."

"You can be mad all you want, but I promised to keep you safe, Felicity. I won't apologize for that."

"And I wouldn't expect you to. The truth is it's nice to know there is at least one person looking out for me. I'm tired of being alone."

"I have to be alone," Oliver muttered, drawing her curious stare. "I can't lose anyone else."

"You don't mean that, Oliver. You still have your sister. You've got Tommy and Laurel. You've got Diggle, and you've got me," Felicity pointed out.

"Do I have you?" he gruffly replied. "Because as soon as this is all over, you're leaving."

"Do you want me to leave?" she murmured, both craving and fearing the answer.

"What I want doesn't matter."

"It matters to me."

"I watched you tonight at the restaurant." He continued to look out the window, pensive. "You looked so happy and normal with everyone and...especially with Ray. You told me that you wanted a normal life, and you should get to have it. A normal life with a normal guy. It's what you deserve."

"What I deserve is to be given a choice. That's all I've ever wanted." She placed a hand on his arm. "What do _you_ want, Oliver?"

"Felicity, I didn't just lose five years on the island. I lost the part of me that enjoyed being alive. Listening to music and meeting up with friends. Having dinner at home every night with a beautiful and intelligent woman while listening to her adorably babble about her day." Oliver finally met her gaze, and Felicity's breath caught in her throat. "It's the easy things. So when you ask me what I want and I let myself think about it, I hit a wall. I'm reminded of all the dark things I had to do and the hard choices that I had to make. That still stay with me. That make me question who I can trust. That I'm worthy of being with anyone."

"You can trust me," Felicity told him and stepped closer.

"Oh, I know I can. That's not the problem. It's me," Oliver revealed. "I don't trust myself." He moved away from the window. Away from her.

"Is that why you've been so distant this past week?"

"I became The Arrow not just for my father but to protect the ones I love. And five months ago, I failed. The Undertaking happened, and I was too late to stop it. I knew my mother was in danger then," he explained, becoming lost in the memory. "If I had gotten home five minutes earlier-just _five_ minutes-I could've saved her. Instead, I found her on the living room floor with a hole in her chest. Merlyn was climbing out the window with the sword in his hand. He was going to leave her there alone to bleed out and die."

The pain on Oliver's face and the anguish in his voice made Felicity's eyes water. "Oliver."

"I didn't know whether to go after him or stay with her. I thought she was already dead, but then she looked over at me. It wasn't until I heard the crying that I knew Thea had come in and seen. My mom smiled then. One last smile for the both of us and she was gone. I tried to go after Merlyn but, as you know, he got away." Swallowing the lump in his throat, Oliver said, "This is my life, Felicity. The longer you're in it, the more dangerous it is for you."

"Oliver, my life was in danger long before I met you." She took a few steps towards him. "Cooper was getting suspicious and God only knows what he would've done to me if he'd learned of my plan. You took a chance on me, and you helped save me. You're still saving me. Every day. Knowing you has changed my life."

"I almost didn't save you last week," Oliver countered. The self-loathing was evident in his voice. "I'm the reason you were shot, Felicity."

"No, I am," Felicity retorted, marching right up to him. She refused to let him shoulder the blame. "You said that there was no choice to make when it came to taking out The Dodger. Well, letting him hurt you wasn't an option for me either. You're not the only one willing to sacrifice to protect the ones he loves."

"The night you were shot...you said something to me just before you fell asleep. You told me that you loved me."

Felicity's eyes widened in shock as a small gasp escaped her. She didn't remember saying that. It baffled her that she could forget. Suddenly, everything that had happened and Oliver's distant behavior since that night made sense.

Oliver went on, "Granted, you weren't yourself but-"

"I meant it," Felicity declared. Yes, it was slightly embarrassing to know that she'd admitted something so revealing while being totally out of it. But she wasn't going to hide it. She owed the truth to Oliver and herself.

"Felicity..." Oliver trailed off. His voice was strained as the battle to pull her close or push her away raged on inside of him. "I can't be with anyone. I have to be alone."

Felicity could see the struggle. "Who are you trying to convince more? Me or yourself?" Determined to tip the scale, she closed the gap between them and placed her hand on his cheek. His eyes closed for the briefest of moments at her touch.

"I can't give you normal, Felicity."

"I don't want normal, Oliver. I want you," Felicity whispered. "For the first time in my life, not being normal couldn't feel more right." When Oliver remained silent, Felicity sighed softly. "But if this isn't what you want, then tell me. We never have to speak of this again, and I'll walk away when this is all over."

"Felicity."

"I'm serious, Oliver." Her eyes were pleading. "You have to say it. You have to say that this isn't what you want. Say it's never going to happen between us. Say you could never love me-"

"Felicity," Oliver interrupted, unable to bear the pain in her voice. Unable to hold himself back a second longer. Taking her face in his hands, Oliver pulled her close and kissed her. He turned her away from the windows, so his back was to the city. It was a city he loved and would do anything to protect but, in this moment, the woman in front of him mattered more. A small gasp escaped Felicity as he drew back but not completely. Her eyes opened, and his lips continued to brush hers as he spoke. "Don't ask me to say that I don't love you."

Felicity looked up at Oliver. His stare was hesitant but intense. There was no missing the fire in his eyes. It set her heart ablaze and burned down to her very soul. Placing a hand on his chest, Felicity fisted his suit and pulled him back to her. Their mouths collided in a blazing passion that had been building up for weeks. Felicity gave herself over to it completely.

One of Oliver's hands slid down the side of her body, tracing the bend of her hip before winding around her back. He brought Felicity flush against him and nearly groaned at the contact. Her soft curves melded perfectly against his hard edges and still it wasn't enough. He walked her back until he had her up against one of the wooden beams.

Felicity's mouth opened in a gasp, and Oliver took the opportunity to tease her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. She moaned softly and opened her mouth wider, inviting him in completely. Seconds later her fingers were scaling the length of his chest as they undid the zipper of his suit. Pushing the material aside, Felicity's hands traced the strong ridges of his torso. She broke their kiss to take in the marks of his past. To some, Oliver's scars would've seemed like sad reminders of the tragedies he'd endured. To Felicity, they were signs of strength that forged Oliver into the amazing man she had come to love.

Oliver pulled his suit off the rest of the way as her fingers traced the scar along his collar bone. They ran down over the Bratva tattoo. His heart pulsed beneath her hand, and it brought a smile to her face. Felicity looked up to find Oliver watching her, mesmerized. Leaning forward, she placed a kiss on the streak of scars just beneath it. Oliver's hold on her hips tightened as she trailed up to his neck. Her arms wound around his neck to bring him closer. Felicity placed kisses along his jaw, shivering at the way his scruff felt against her tender lips.

His hand buried itself in her hair, guiding her lips back to his. Felicity was so lost in the kiss that she was vaguely aware of Oliver hoisting her up in his arms. Instinctively, her thighs gripped the sides of his hips, causing her dress to slide up higher. The pressure of Oliver's weight pinning her to the beam made her breath come in short gasps. Her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head when he buried his face in her neck, sucking on her pulse point. Felicity held him to her while running her fingers through his hair. Oliver slid the left strap of her dress off her shoulder and began to tease the skin there.

Felicity's breathless whisper of his name and the way she was grinding her hips against him nearly undid Oliver. He needed her more than any other woman in his life, and it wasn't just physically. As Felicity had proven moments before, Oliver didn't need to keep hiding. There was no need for a mask-not with her. Felicity accepted every part of him, and the peace it gave him was overwhelming.

Oliver was just about to carry Felicity toward the stairs and to his bedroom when his cell phone made a loud beeping sound. Normally, he would've ignored it but it was the kind of alert that only happened during emergencies. Fighting the electrified haze in his mind, Oliver reluctantly tore his lips away from Felicity's and dug in his pocket for his cell phone.

"What's the matter?" Felicity breathily questioned.

He read the alert on his phone and swore under his breath. "Brother Eye has targeted another company in Starling."

Before Felicity could say anything else, her phone went off in her purse. Her body immediately tensed. Slipping from Oliver's arms, Felicity quickly went to retrieve it.

"Did you get the same alert?"

"No." She shook her head. "This is an alert I designed for our facial recognition software." Felicity's expression conveyed both excitement and dread. "Oliver, I finally got a hit on Cooper..."


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the late posting, guys. It's been a hectic week. Thanks for taking the time to comment last chapter. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

The soft, fast clicking of Felicity's fingers on the keyboard was the only sound that could be heard in the Foundry. Although Oliver and Diggle were silent, Felicity could feel their eyes on her. She was just as eager to see the footage that her facial recognition software had caught. Aside from the Brother Eye attacks in Starling, Cooper had been off the grid for three months. Either this was the lucky break they needed or Cooper had decided he was ready to be found.

"I got it," Felicity announced. Oliver and Diggle came to stand on either side of her. "This is from a traffic cam across the street." Felicity zoomed in on the footage of Cooper entering the double doors of a large, brick building. His hair was slightly longer, but there was no mistaking his lean, pale face. Instead of his usual jeans and a button down shirt, he wore a suit and tie.

Oliver studied the footage. "Felicity, zoom back so we can see the building again." He nodded when his thought was confirmed. "It's the Starling City Psychiatric Hospital."

"What would he be doing there?" Diggle muttered. "Unless he's finally realized he's a few paper plates short of a picnic and decided to check himself in."

Felicity snorted. "I doubt it. Cooper's giant-sized ego would never let him do something that rational."

"There's got to be cameras inside the lobby," Oliver said.

"Give me a second." Felicity hacked into the hospital's server and pulled up the security footage with the same date and time stamp. Cooper walked to the front desk. He leaned forward and said something to the receptionist. She smiled flirtatiously back, causing Felicity to roll her eyes in disgust. The woman made a call and another man in a suit greeted Cooper. They shook hands and walked down a corridor.

"Can you follow them through the footage?"

"Already on it," Felicity muttered in full techie mode. A moment later, she was groaning in frustration.

"What's the matter?" Diggle questioned.

"The security footage is missing."

Oliver leaned forward. "You're sure?"

"Positive. Clearly, he didn't want anyone knowing who he was visiting." Felicity stared at the computer screen, deep in thought, when an idea struck. "But I'm not 'anyone,'" she declared and started typing away once more. "I'm much smarter than that."

Oliver and Diggle exchanged perplexed looks. "We're not following." With anyone else, Oliver would be frustrated that he couldn't keep up. With Felicity, he was impressed as she took the initiative and trusted that she'd get the answers they needed.

"Cooper may have altered the footage, but he still left a digital trail. I can find out exactly where in the building he went." Felicity traced the anomaly and pulled up blueprints of the psychiatric hospital. "Okay, I got a room number. Now let's see who's in residence..." A list of names scanned down the screen in fast succession until one in particular popped up. "We have a match. Cooper was visiting a patient named Thomas Werner."

Felicity, catching the charged exchange between Oliver and Diggle, asked, "You know who he is?"

"His street name was Count Vertigo," Oliver stated. "He was a big-time drug dealer. He experimented on his victims to perfect the recipe. They were found with puncture marks on their necks like a vampire, hence the name. But there were still casualties after Vertigo hit the streets. People were jumping off buildings and causing accidents." Oliver felt his muscles tense at the memory of Thea's car accident when she was under the influence of the drug. "I stopped him last year by injecting him with his own drug. He got three times the proper dosage. He survived, but it messed with his head. He was practically a zombie afterward, so they put him in the psychiatric hospital instead of prison."

"It doesn't make any sense," Felicity commented as she tried to piece together Cooper's motives. "Why would Cooper visit some stupefied drug dealer he's never even met?"

"That's what we need to find out." Oliver was already heading for his suit.

"I don't think that's the best idea, Oliver," Diggle spoke up.

Felicity nodded. "I agree. Even if you can break into the psychiatric hospital, you won't be able to get answers out of a vegetable."

"He could be faking it. In which case, The Arrow will get it out of him."

"Or the mere sight of the man who put him in there could send him deeper down the rabbit hole. If he's as mentally unstable as his chart states, we could blow our only chance of getting the information we need."

"I could go as Oliver Queen," he suggested as an alternative. "I'll pretend that QC is looking to donate money to some new causes this year and get a tour of the place. I can slip away to visit The Count."

"Let's say that The Count is faking it. He'll recognize you from when you tried to buy off of him last year," said Diggle.

"Um, what?" Felicity turned in her chair to face them, curious and totally confused.

"It's a long story, but it was basically a setup," Oliver explained before addressing his partner once more. "Dig, I don't plan on interrogating him as myself. I can steal an orderly's uniform and get a surgical mask."

"Oh. Well, that could work," Diggle acknowledged as he folded his arms.

"I don't know." Felicity shook her head. "I doubt the staff is going to let you slip away long enough to get the answers you need out of him. Again, assuming he's faking it."

Oliver could see the wheels turning in her head. "You have a different idea?"

"I was thinking maybe we should take the legal route on this one."

Diggle frowned. "How so?"

"If The Count survived a lethal drug overdose and has somehow managed to pretend to be a glorified zombie all this time, force might not work on him. He'll still look crazy but with some bruises."

"Who said I was going to beat him up?"

Felicity gave Oliver a look. "Says the man who's default method of getting answers is 'putting the fear of God into the bad guys until they talk,'" she replied, making air quotes.

He shrugged unapologetically. "It works."

"I suggest we try a more enticing approach. Laurel and her father are investigating Brother Eye. If we bring this information to Laurel, she can pass it on to the police. That way they can also follow the trail. Since Laurel's working on the case, she would be able to visit Count Vertigo and question him."

"There's a couple of issues. First, Detective Lance will be even more suspicious if he knows this information came from you. And second, what makes you think Laurel will have better luck questioning The Count than me?" Oliver argued.

"Laurel doesn't have to say the information came from me," Felicity explained. "It's also not her questioning that is key. It's what she can offer The Count. If he was in his right mind, he'd be at Iron Heights serving a life sentence. Laurel is an assistant district attorney, and she could get him some kind of deal if he talks."

"Felicity, The Count is dangerous."

"I'm not saying they let him go or even give him parole. But she could offer to have him moved to a lower-security prison instead of Iron Heights. At least there he could watch some TV and get fresh air instead of sitting in a padded cell actually slipping slowly into madness," she stated. "I'll leave the details up to Laurel if she agrees. It's a long shot, but I think it's worth it."

"It's not a bad plan," Diggle spoke up.

Oliver, taking in her hopeful gaze, relented. "All right. We can try it your way. But if Laurel isn't able to get through to him, I'm going in there."

"Deal." She added, "By the way, maybe it would be better if you gave the information to Laurel. You've known each other longer, and she trusts you. We've been getting friendly, but I don't think we're at the stage where I can ask her for a huge favor like cutting a deal for a hardened criminal."

"We'll do it together tomorrow," Oliver promised. Felicity's relieved smile at his words made him want to cross the distance between them and pull her into his arms. Oliver knew that everything about this situation had her on edge despite the brave face she put on. No matter how much Felicity tried to adjust to her new life, Cooper was always waiting in the shadows. This time, Oliver would be there waiting with him. Waiting _for_ him. He wouldn't let Cooper slip through their fingers again.

* * *

After speaking with the secretary, Oliver took a seat next to Felicity in the waiting room of the District Attorney's office. Laurel's time in court was taking longer than expected, but she was supposed to be back soon. Felicity, filled with nervous energy, bit her lip and fiddled with her hands. She'd been like that all morning.

"Felicity, are you okay?" Oliver murmured so only she could hear.

"My psycho ex-boyfriend hell-bent on revenge is visiting another dangerous psycho most likely for some evil, master plan." She shrugged. "Other than that, I'm fine."

He rested his hand over hers. "It's not like before. We're working together now, and we're going to find him, Felicity."

His reassurance made her smile. "You're right." Looking at his hand on hers made Felicity's face get hot. It was the first time they'd touched since their heated encounter the night before. It was another reason why Felicity was so on edge. She'd finally told Oliver that she loved him. He hadn't said it back, not directly, but it was strongly implied. A part of her was thrilled that they'd been so honest with each other, but another part worried that they could just as easily slide back into old habits.

Oliver recognized that crinkle between her eyes. It was the look Felicity got when she was trying to work something out. He knew that she was thinking about last night. He wasn't able to stop thinking about it either. They hadn't gotten a chance to talk about what happened since Cooper came barreling back into their lives.

There never would be a right time to bring it up. It was now or never, Felicity decided. "So, last night...that was...revealing."

"Yeah," Oliver said, fighting a smile at the way she was blushing.

"I didn't know that was going to happen. I mean, it's not like I haven't imagined it happening. Not that I imagined that exactly. I just mean that I do have a vivid imagination. Like cronuts. I had a vision of them-"

"I know what you mean, Felicity," Oliver cut in, for which she was thankful.

Her mind was running wild as she tried to come up with the best way to phrase her thoughts. Felicity's eyes drifted to their hands. "Where does that leave us now?"

Oliver answered, "Honestly, I don't know." He had strong feelings for Felicity. That much was obvious. But they still had a lot of challenges ahead of them. Challenges that required their immediate attention and focus.

"Do you regret it?" Felicity's voice was barely above a whisper. Her insides twisted in anticipation of his response.

As confused as Oliver was about where their relationship was going, he was clear on one thing. "No. Do you?"

"No."

"Do you remember when I told you that because of what I do, I didn't think I could be with someone that I could really care about?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, maybe I was wrong," Oliver admitted and interlaced their fingers.

"Oliver, what exactly are you saying?" Felicity pressed.

"I'm saying that there's been something between us from the start, and I'm done fighting it." He gave her hand a squeeze. "But my life _is_ dangerous, Felicity. Right now, so is yours. It doesn't always have to be that way, though. Not for you."

"Oliver-" Felicity began to protest. She'd already told him last night that it didn't matter. That he was what she wanted.

"Whatever this is, I think we should take things slow. Not make any decisions now. When Cooper is no longer a threat and you do have a choice, you may feel differently." Oliver gave her a serious look, willing her to see his reasoning. "Merlyn is still out there somewhere, too. I have to get justice for my mother and the city, Felicity. _I have to_. As much as you need to put Cooper behind you, I need to put Merlyn behind me. I can't let go until I do. Do you understand?"

Felicity did understand. Letting her in, this was a big step for Oliver. In the short time she'd known him, it was obvious that he had a hard time trusting people. Sometimes even himself. The threats they were facing were very real, and he was right. They needed to put their pasts behind them before they could truly move forward.

She squeezed his hand back. "Yes." So caught up in their conversation, neither noticed Laurel enter the room. It wasn't until she mildly cleared her throat that they managed to look away from one another.

"Am I interrupting something?" The brunette stared between the two, barely hiding her satisfied smile.

Oliver and Felicity quickly separated and stood. "Hello, Laurel," Oliver greeted as if he and Felicity weren't just caught gazing deeply into each other's eyes. "How was court?"

"I won, so it was good. What about the two of you? What brings you to my office?"

"We have some information to share with you about a case," Felicity spoke up.

"Come on in." Laurel led them into her office and shut the door. "I'm assuming this is in regard to the Brother Eye case."

Oliver and Felicity sat in the chairs across from her desk. "Yes, it is," he replied.

"What have you got for me?"

At Oliver's encouraging nod, Felicity began, "I've been trying to track down Cooper these last few months. For awhile, the trail went cold. That is until last night."

"There was another cyber attack last night." Laurel leaned forward, eager. "You know where he is?"

"I don't know where in Starling he's been hiding out, and I don't know the details of the latest attack. All I know is that he's probably got something else up his sleeve. Cooper was last seen at the Starling City Psychiatric Hospital."

"Do you know why?"

"Apparently, he was visiting a patient there," Oliver cut in. "You remember Count Vertigo."

Laurel seemed surprise at that. "The Count? Why would he visit him?" She looked to Felicity. "Have you brought this information to my father?"

"That's the thing," Felicity said. "I can't exactly explain how I know this. Your father already has his doubts about me."

"But you have proof of this visit?" Felicity nodded, to which Laurel surmised, "You obtained it illegally."

"I didn't think your father would appreciate my investigative methods." Felicity handed the folder with the photographs of Cooper to Laurel. The brunette scanned through them. "But I can't let Cooper get away with this. He's done enough damage already."

"We were hoping that you could pass these on to your father," Oliver stated.

"Anonymously, you mean."

"Yes."

"The DA and my father hate the idea of an invisible threat that could potentially get into any system in the city. They're out for blood with Brother Eye. I'll make sure they get these and that your name stays out of it," Laurel promised.

"Thank you, Laurel, but there's one more thing," Felicity stated. "There must be more to this Count Vertigo guy if Cooper is visiting him. I have a history with Cooper, so I know how he is. He wouldn't waste his time with some unresponsive criminal in a vegetative state."

"We think he may be faking his condition to avoid jail time," Oliver added. "If he is faking, then maybe you could get some answers out of him. You could learn what Cooper's next move is."

"How exactly would I do that?" Laurel questioned. "Assuming you're right, he's not going to suddenly drop the act and implicate himself."

"You could give him an incentive to talk," Oliver suggested. "Cut a deal in exchange for information."

"You two really have this all figured out, don't you?" She eyed them curiously.

Felicity told her the truth. "Cooper's been hovering in the shadows of my life for the last five years. I can't keep looking over my shoulder, Laurel, and Oliver's security can't always be there to protect me. I need to put this behind me." Laurel's stare softened at Felicity's beseeching expression. "I know I'm asking a lot but if there's anything you can do, I would be so grateful."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll try." It was the best she could offer.

"Thank you." Felicity hesitated for a moment, but then pressed on. There was something else she needed to ask Laurel. "If you can cut a deal and speak with The Count, do you think I could be there when you question him?"

Oliver's head whipped to the side to look at the blonde. He'd assumed that Felicity would use one of her tech devices on Laurel, so they could hear the conversation. Felicity never mentioned joining her. "Felicity." She kept her eyes on Laurel despite his protesting tone.

"It's not the typical protocol, but you probably could. Is there a reason you want to be there?"

"If The Count does tell you anything, I'd like to hear it for myself. Because of my past with Cooper, a seemingly insignificant piece of information might mean something more to me."

"Okay. But first, let me handle this new evidence. I'll keep you posted if anything comes of it. It might take some time. With the weekend and Thanksgiving coming up, things tend to get a little slow around here," she explained.

"We understand," Oliver replied.

"Speaking of, what are you guys doing for the holiday?"

Oliver and Felicity exchanged a startled look. Truthfully, they'd been dealing with so much lately that they hadn't given it much thought.

"Thea's coming home next week, right?"

Nodding, Oliver said, "Right."

"What about you, Felicity?"

"Oh, um, I don't know yet," Felicity answered. "My family is a bit complicated." She was quick to shift the focus off of her. "Are you doing anything?"

"My dad and I are going to Central City. We've got relatives there."

"That'll be nice," Felicity politely said.

"Oliver, if you and Thea are going to be around, maybe you could hang out with Tommy," Laurel suggested. Her concern was evident. "I'd invite him to come with me, but my dad isn't exactly his biggest fan. I'd hate for Tommy to be alone, especially after what's happened this year."

Oliver didn't even have to think about it. Tommy was his best friend and practically family. They needed to stick together now more than ever. "Of course."

"Well, I'm needed at QC. And we should let you get back to work," Felicity declared and stood up. Oliver followed suit. "Thanks again, Laurel."

"I'll be in touch."

The pair made their way out of the office and to the car, where Diggle was waiting. No sooner had they gotten inside did Oliver start. "Felicity, why didn't you tell me you planned on going with Laurel?"

"Because I hadn't decided until just now. It makes sense, Oliver. I know Cooper, and I need to be there in case The Count reveals something that could lead us to him."

"The Count is dangerous."

"Oliver, the hospital is secure. Besides, now we can put the bug on me instead of Laurel. You'll be able to see and hear everything."

"She has a point," Diggle spoke up. "But I can go with her, too, just in case."

"The Count can't see you, Dig. He'd recognize you."

"I'll stay outside."

"Fine," Oliver relented. He felt better knowing that his partner would be with them.

Felicity crossed her arms and gave him a challenging look. "You do know that I'd be going anyway, even if you hadn't agreed, right?"

"And you guys say I'm the stubborn one," he muttered.

Felicity met Diggle's eyes in the rearview mirror, and they both smirked. "Now that Laurel mentioned it, we should probably discuss Thanksgiving." Thea coming home was definitely going to complicate an already complicated situation.

"Do you want to see your mom?" Oliver questioned. "I'd invite her here to Starling but after the story we told everyone about how we met-"

"She could compromise everything," Felicity agreed. Her mother, although kind and bubbly, was not a subtle woman. Sometimes, she could be downright embarrassing. Felicity could only imagine the conclusions her mother would jump to if she introduced her to Oliver. Her mother would already be planning the wedding, and Felicity would never hear the end of it. "No, she can't come here."

Oliver reluctantly offered, "You could go there." Despite hating the idea of Felicity leaving Starling, he didn't want to deprive her of time with her family. "I could send a security team with you. They'd be discreet."

Felicity shook her head and looked down at her hands. "That's not necessary. It's not the first holiday I've missed. My mom will understand."

"Felicity," Oliver murmured, concerned at the sadness in her voice.

"She's got friends and a new boyfriend. She'll be fine."

"What about you?"

"I'll stay here in Starling. If you want time alone with Thea, I can go someplace else. I'll make myself scarce."

"Absolutely not. The loft is your home, too, and Thea knows I have someone staying with me." Oliver, holding her gaze, added quietly, "I'd like you to meet her."

Felicity knew this was no small thing for Oliver. His sister meant everything to him. Allowing them to meet was significant. Smiling, Felicity replied, "I'd like to meet her, too."

"Then it's settled," Oliver declared before looking to Diggle. "What about you, John? Any plans?"

"It'll probably be just Lyla and me."

"Ooh, Lyla! Finally, there's a name," Felicity teased, causing Diggle to chuckle. She turned back to Oliver. "We could have Thanksgiving at the loft. We'll invite Tommy over and, Dig, you could bring Lyla if you'd like to join. Unless you and Thea usually do something else."

"We spent Thanksgiving with our parents." Oliver glanced out his window, fighting back the wave of bittersweet sadness at the memory. "My mom handled everything. She brought us together."

"Oh," Felicity commented softly. She and Dig shared another worried look. She placed a comforting hand on Oliver's arm. "Well, perhaps Thea and I can make the arrangements this year."

That put a small smile on Oliver's face. "She can't cook for her life."

"Then she can help me, if she'd like." The intense way Oliver was looking at her, his eyes wandering down to her lips, made Felicity's breath catch in her throat. She knew that if Diggle weren't around, he would've kissed her right then.

Oliver had been dreading the holidays this year. It was tough enough without his father but losing his mother, too, made it all the more bleak. He imagined that Thea was feeling the same way. Oliver was more worried about her. She was too young to suffer so much loss. As always, he just wanted to protect her. He was thankful to have Felicity around. Her warm and kind presence would be a welcomed distraction for Thea, he was sure of it.

* * *

It took a few days, but Laurel had made good on her promise. She managed to cut a deal for The Count if he cooperated and gave information about Cooper. Laurel had been right that the DA was eager to bring down Brother Eye by any means necessary. Today, Felicity would go with Laurel to question The Count. She tried to keep still as Oliver positioned the tiny camera she'd disguised in a pin on her sweater.

"That should do it. If you can, sit at an angle where I can see his face," Oliver instructed. He'd gotten good at reading people over the years. If The Count was faking it, Oliver would most likely be able to tell.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he checked it. It was Carrie asking him what time he would be back in the office. Oliver sent a quick reply that he'd be out for the rest of the day and to reschedule his afternoon meetings. He planned to stay in the Foundry and watch the questioning.

"Okay." Felicity grabbed the earpiece and put it in her ear with a weighted sigh.

Sensing her nervousness, Oliver said, "Felicity, you don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do." Her voice was strong despite her unease. "It's not The Count I'm worried about. It's what I might find out. Does that make sense?"

"No matter what, none of this is on you. Remember that." He placed his hand on her face. Felicity's eyes closed as she leaned into his touch. Seconds later, Oliver found himself closing the small distance between them. Their lips had barely brushed when they heard Diggle come down the stairs. Oliver quickly pulled away. He and Felicity had agreed to keep whatever was happening between them quiet while they figured things out.

Ignoring the electrified heat she felt running through her veins, Felicity put some more distance between her and Oliver. She needed a clear head before meeting up with Laurel. Grabbing her purse, she told Diggle that she was ready and followed him to the car.

" _Felicity, can you hear me?_ " Oliver questioned, testing the comms.

"Yes."

" _Okay. I'll be with you the entire time._ "

"Thanks. It feels really good having you inside me." Felicity flinched as the embarrassment washed over her. "And by 'you' I mean your voice. And by 'me' I mean my ear. I'm going to stop talking right now."

" _That'd be my preference_ ," Oliver replied, trying very hard to ignore the explicit mental images her words called up.

Diggle, thankfully, didn't say anything. However, there was no missing the slight shaking of his shoulders as he suppressed a quiet chuckle. Felicity leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes, needing a moment to collect herself once more.

Finally, they arrived at the psychiatric hospital. Laurel was already waiting inside.

"You ready for this?" the brunette asked as The Count's doctor came to greet them.

"As I'll ever be," Felicity mumbled back.

The doctor shook both their hands. "Ms. Lance, Ms. Smoak, welcome. You said on the phone that you needed to speak with Mr. Werner. I don't want to disappoint you, but I don't know how far you'll get with him." He led them down a series of corridors.

"What does that mean?" Laurel questioned.

"The unrefined Vertigo overdose he suffered caused damage to the caudal portion of his anterior cingulate."

"Can you translate that to English?"

"I've been working with him for months now, and all I've gotten out of him is the word 'salad' and the occasional spit in the face."

"Charming," Felicity muttered under her breath.

"This is Werner's room. I would normally have a couple of orderlies in there with you, since he is a security risk. But you mentioned that you'd like to keep the details of your case confidential, so I've had him put in a straight jacket." The doctor looked to Diggle, since he knew Diggle was their security. "They'll be safe."

"Still, I'll wait outside," Diggle informed him.

"As you wish."

Laurel nodded. "Thank you."

"Best of luck," the doctor said before leaving them.

Laurel was first to step into the room. Felicity, after shooting a quick look to Dig, joined her. The Count sat on his bed in the corner, staring at the concrete wall. The room was cold and empty looking except for the two chairs that had been brought in for them to sit. Immediately, Felicity's eyes went to the drawings hanging on the walls. Some of them were nonsensical scribbles but others were of green figures. Felicity frowned when she realized they were drawings of The Arrow. In each one he was hurt and bleeding. It made Felicity sick. She could only imagine what Oliver was thinking.

"Do you see this?" Felicity whispered.

Laurel, thinking that Felicity had spoken to her, replied, "What the hell?"

" _It doesn't matter_ ," Oliver said in Felicity's ear. Whether he was crazy or faking, Oliver knew The Count would have it out for him. Right now, he needed Felicity to focus.

"Mr. Werner," Laurel said to get his attention. The Count remained silent, rocking back and forth. "My name is Laurel Lance. I'm with the District Attorney's office. My associate and I have a few questions to ask you about a suspect in an ongoing investigation."

"Here I was born and there I died. He took no notice. It was only a moment for him."

Felicity and Laurel looked at each other, confused. "Mr. Werner, you had a visitor last week," Laurel tried once more. "His name is Cooper Seldon. What did he say to you?"

"The man in the hood," The Count gritted out. Finally, he faced them. His eyes were red and bloodshot, and his hair was a spiky, tangled mess. The Count barely spared a glance at Laurel before his eyes honed in on Felicity. She couldn't be sure, but Felicity could've sworn she saw some kind of spark of recognition. It sent an eerie chill up her spine. "He is never far from my thoughts."

Oliver must've noticed the same thing because he said, " _He knows you're connected to me_."

Felicity didn't know how that was possible unless...Cooper must've told him about her. It perplexed her at first, but then she worked it out. Cooper knew that Felicity had set him up by sending The Arrow after him. He probably figured they were still working together and told The Count that. Nevertheless, he was right.

But what worried Felicity most was Cooper making the connection between The Arrow and Oliver. Cooper didn't know every detail of her life, but it wouldn't be difficult for him to put two and two together. She had gotten close to Oliver after The Arrow helped her. However, Cooper knew that she'd met Oliver at Verdant the night before her plan went down. Cooper could've also assumed that she made a connection with him and that it turned into something more. His jealousy had been obvious and might've been enough to cloud his logic.

" _Felicity, I don't know his exact level of crazy but he's aware enough to understand._ _Laurel won't be able to get through to him, but you will._ "

Felicity asked Laurel for the case folder and grabbed the photo inside. She held it up for The Count to see. "This is Cooper, the man who visited you. What did he want with you?"

The Count blinked and tilted his head. "What was I going to do? Can't remember. The mind isn't what it once was."

"Do you recognize him?" She leaned forward with the photo.

The Count's unfocused eyes followed her movement. For a moment, they cleared. "Skinny, slick, arrogant..."

"That's a yes," Felicity murmured to Laurel. "What did he say?"

"So shiny," he whispered, as if in a trance, while staring at Felicity. He must've been talking about her hair. She had it down to hide her earpiece. "Want to touch." He tried to move his arms, but they were constricted from the straight jacket. He growled suddenly, making both women jump.

" _Felicity, stay back_ ," Oliver warned. She did as he said and leaned away once more.

The Count continued to struggle, but his voice lowered. "Should be in a grave. A grave would be better than this. More peaceful."

"I can get you out of that jacket," Laurel interjected. "I can get you out of this place. If you tell us what we want to know, you never have to be in this cold cell again."

"You lie," he accused.

"I'm not. I can have you transferred. You can have a window and books. Go outside," Laurel tried to coax him. "All we need is answers." She held up the documents. "This right here is a promise."

Felicity tried again. "What did this man say to you?"

"Drugs."

"He wanted Vertigo?" Laurel pressed.

"Not my drugs. My brain. Drugs on my brain."

"He wanted you, because you were drugged."

"No!" The Count shouted, frustrated. "Drugs on my brain. I said drugs on my brain."

"He wanted your knowledge of drugs," Felicity surmised.

The Count looked to her and instantly calmed. "Yes," he said with a nod. "You're smart. He said you would be."

"What else did he say?"

"Names. He wanted names."

Laurel nodded for Felicity to keep going. Oliver had been right. If anyone was going to get answers out of him, it would be her. "Whose names?"

"Cook. Ingredients. Tools. So demanding. So many names...don't like him."

 _That makes two of us,_ Felicity thought.

" _Try to get him to name something specific. We need details, Felicity._ "

Felicity continued, "What is a cook?"

The Count shook his head. " _The_ Cook."

"He's a person." The Count nodded. "What does he do?"

The Count laughed. "He cooks."

Felicity tried another angle. "What ingredients did Cooper need?"

"Not mine."

"What tools?" Felicity needed to get something else out of him. Anything that would give them a solid lead.

"Small mind. Very small."

"We're losing him. He's talking gibberish now," Laurel said quietly.

"I don't know." What The Count was saying didn't make any sense, but Felicity believed he was trying to tell them something. He just didn't know the right words to get his point across.

"So much light," The Count drawled. He appeared to be staring at Felicity's hair again. "A shame to be put out."

That piqued Laurel's interest. "Are you saying she's in danger?"

"If he can't have the light, no one will. A shame," he repeated menacingly. "He will fail this city. He will fail you."

Felicity felt goosebumps form on her arms and legs. Cooper would be after her. She'd always known that. However, The Count's warning, clearly directed toward The Arrow with that last part, brought her deepest fears to the forefront. Cooper had taken enough from her. Felicity couldn't let him take Oliver away from her, too.

"Where is Cooper?" Laurel demanded. She must've sensed that Felicity was too shaken up to speak any longer.

"Don't know. Didn't say." The Count finally dragged his eyes from Felicity and looked at Laurel. "Your promise. Get me out of here."

Laurel placed her hand on Felicity's arm. "Come on, Felicity. We're done here."

The Count struggled in his restraints. "Get me out of here."

Felicity stood and let Laurel guide her toward the door. Her mind was on autopilot as she walked out.

"Get me out of here!" he screamed after them. "Get me out of here!" The door shut and the screams faded, but it wasn't enough to block out the warning The Count had given her. It echoed in Felicity's mind. She shivered, feeling the warmth drain out of her.

" _Felicity, are you okay?_ " Oliver questioned. " _Felicity_." When she didn't respond, Oliver called to Diggle. Diggle was by her side in an instant. His hand on her shoulder was enough to help her snap out of it.

"I'm okay," she assured everyone. Felicity didn't want to scare them or seem weak. She just needed to let her brain process everything.

"We're going to bring Cooper to justice, Felicity," Laurel promised.

"Yes," Felicity agreed, feeling her resolve harden once more. She looked to Dig, well aware that Oliver could also hear her. "We most definitely are."

* * *

The elevator dinged once it reached their floor, and the doors opened. Oliver glanced over his shoulder at Felicity, who followed him out into the hallway. They'd spent the rest of the evening looking into The Count's information. They were only able to dig up one important detail, since the rest didn't quite make sense. It turned out The Cook was the street name of a chemist. Dr. Ian Thorne used to work for a major pharmaceutical company before he was caught using the labs to make illegal substances. There was some speculation that he was involved in helping The Count create the Vertigo drug. He managed to flee before the cops could arrest him.

It was unclear why Cooper would be so interested in Dr. Thorne. Aside from the occasional pot brownie, Felicity said that Cooper had never been into drugs before. This was new territory, which made discovering his plan all the more difficult. Oliver and Diggle had hit the streets afterward to try and get leads on Dr. Thorne's whereabouts. They'd hit up a few of the major drug dealers' lackeys. All they'd gotten were more rumors with no definite location, but it was a start.

It was almost two in the morning now, and Felicity looked exhausted. She hadn't said much on the way home. He knew she was going over all of the information in her mind. Each piece a part of a larger puzzle she was determined to solve.

"You did good today," he told her.

"Thanks," she replied softly.

" We'll figure it out. Don't worry."

"Too late for that," Felicity huffed. The Count in his madness had seriously creeped her out.

Oliver turned to face her. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know. It's you I'm worried about." At Oliver's frown, she elaborated, "You take crazy risks, and Cooper has a habit of taking things from me. Just the idea of losing someone else important to me..." A wave of sadness hit her and a tear escaped.

"Hey, you're not going to lose me." Oliver pulled her into him and hugged her.

Felicity let herself melt into his embrace, accepting the comfort he was offering. Her eyes closed when he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then her temple and down to her cheeks. His hands came up to frame her face and brush away the stray tears before he claimed her lips. Tonight, she needed the reassurance that he wasn't going anywhere just as much as he needed to know that she was there and safe.

Standing on her tiptoes and gripping his shoulders, Felicity drew Oliver closer. She lost herself in the kiss. Only he could make her heart pound while simultaneously putting her mind at ease. They were both breathless when they finally broke apart.

"I was going to say we should get some rest, but I think we both need to unwind first."

Felicity bit her lip. "What did you have in mind?"

"I got a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1982. Maybe we can have a glass. I can even light a fire." He rubbed at her arms. "Chase away the chill that's been running through you all night."

That was the best idea Felicity had heard all day. She was practically glowing. "That sounds perfect."

Oliver kissed her once more before getting out the keys and unlocking the door. He took a few steps inside and placed an arm out to halt Felicity. The fireplace was already lit and the TV was on and paused. A light was also on in the kitchen with a teapot on the stove.

"What the..." Felicity trailed off just as someone shouted "Ollie!"

They looked to the top of the stairs to see a skinny brunette come bounding down. She threw herself at Oliver and hugged him tightly. "Hello, big brother. Surprise!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"Thea." It took a second for the shock to wear off before Oliver wrapped his arms around her. "I thought you weren't coming home until Wednesday."

"I was going to, but I missed you too much. Figured we could use a couple of extra days to spend some time together. Plus, everyone knows that even the professors slack off days before Thanksgiving break. It's not like I'd miss much."

Oliver pulled back to look his sister over. She was still short and skinny with a young, pretty face. Her grayish-blue eyes held that innocent and loving spark whenever she looked at him. The only real difference was that her long, curly brown hair was cut just above her shoulders. It made her seem slightly more mature. "I missed you, too. I'm glad you're home."

Felicity had stepped to the side to give Oliver and Thea a moment. The way Thea's entire face lit up, it was obvious that she adored her brother. Oliver had a similar reaction. The way his shoulders relaxed, she could tell that having his sister home was a welcomed relief.

Thea's eyes slid in Felicity's direction. Her expression turned curious as the brunette took her in. She folded her arms and sent her brother a mischievous smirk. "You must be Ollie's mystery guest."

Oliver felt a bit nervous, which was a rarity for him. The two most important women in his life were finally meeting. He'd been telling himself that they would get along but now that this moment was here, he felt the acute need for this to go well all the more. "Thea, this is my friend Felicity Smoak. Felicity, this is my sister Thea."

Felicity smiled warmly and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Thea."

"Likewise." Thea looked down and smiled. "Cute shoes."

"Oh, thanks."

"I can see why my brother likes you. You're even prettier in person than in the tabloids." Thea laughed at Oliver and Felicity's wide stares. "I was away at school, Ollie. I wasn't living under a rock."

"Speedy," Oliver said, using his sister's childhood nickname, "you know the tabloids aren't always true. Felicity and I are just friends."

"Right. Of course," she replied but didn't look all that convinced. "So, where were you guys? I was expecting you to be home on a Monday night now that you're a big time CEO."

"We were at the office. Lots to do before the holiday."

"You work at QC?" Thea asked Felicity.

"Sort of. I'm a consultant. I actually live in Boston," Felicity explained while removing her coat. "Oliver was nice enough to let me stay here while I work out the remainder of my contract."

"Interesting." The teapot on the stove began to whistle. Walking into the kitchen, Thea called over her shoulder, "So, how did the two of you meet?" She held up the pot. "Tea?"

Felicity was really looking forward to having that glass of wine with Oliver and cast aside her disappointment at their change in plans. They could do that another night. For now, Felicity was curious to learn more about Thea. Based on Thea's endless questions, the brunette was just as inquisitive about Felicity.

"I'll have a cup," the blonde replied.

Oliver joined them at the counter and relayed the same story they'd told everyone else about how they met. Thea listened attentively and asked another question or two in between. When the topic of Brother Eye came up and what had happened at QC, Oliver felt Felicity shift beside him. No doubt the day's events were continuing to weigh heavily on her mind. He discretely slid his hand to her knee underneath the counter.

"That's pretty much it," Oliver finished. Eager to change the topic, he asked, "What's been going on with you? How's school?"

"It's been good," Thea began before launching into her descriptions of her classes and the mysterious prankster in her dorm who keeps nailing random dirty socks to people's doors. Thea had just started talking about her philosophy professor and his spitting problem when Felicity let out a yawn.

"Oh, sorry," Felicity apologized. "I swear you're not boring me. It's just been a long day, and whatever small amount of caffeine was in that tea has definitely worn off."

"No, it's okay. It's really late, and you guys probably have to get up early." Thea looked at the clock on the oven. "I'm guessing in three hours if you want to make it to QC on time."

"Yes, and it's probably going to take the world's strongest cup of coffee to get me functioning tomorrow," Felicity joked and stood up. "Night, guys."

Oliver, suppressing his worry, watched Felicity make her way up the stairs before turning to his sister. "We'll hang out and catch up tomorrow," he promised.

"I'm holding you to that." Thea gestured to the TV. "I'm going to stay up a bit longer. I'm kind of wired."

Oliver hugged his sister once more and kissed her on the cheek. "Night, Speedy."

"Night, Ollie."

* * *

Oliver hung up the phone and rubbed his hands over his face. He'd been talking to Ray about the investigation into the performance enhancers. They hadn't learned much. Like Felicity, Ray's team had tracked down the test subjects to see if they had any connection to the theft. The majority of them sought treatment after the failed experiment and were doing much better now. The few that were unable to be reached Felicity would track down. The Arrow intended to pay them a little visit.

Carrie buzzed in seconds later. "Mr. Merlyn is here to see you."

Oliver hadn't been expecting Tommy to visit today but was glad for it nonetheless. He'd been meaning to call him. "Send him in."

"Look at you working hard. There's a first time for everything," Tommy joked as he entered the office.

Oliver stood up from his desk to greet his best friend. "And you playing hooky. Some things never change."

"We're both CEOs. Technically, this is a business meeting."

"What business are we discussing?" They settled into the small seating area by the windows.

"I don't know. I just wanted to get out of the office."

Oliver smirked. "Clearly. It's good you stopped by. I've been meaning to call you."

"Oh, I'll be there Thanksgiving. Thanks for the invitation, by the way." At Oliver's curious stare, Tommy elaborated, "Felicity already called me."

"Of course she did." Oliver smiled and shook his head.

"Honestly, I'm not sure how you functioned before she came along."

"That makes two of us," he agreed. "I'm glad you'll be joining us."

"You're the only family I've got. It's been that way since we were kids." Malcolm had often been cold and distant to Tommy when he was growing up. It's why Oliver didn't mind that they spent the majority of their time at the Queen Mansion. His parents always made Tommy feel welcomed, and Oliver knew his friend needed that more than anything.

"At least that hasn't changed," Oliver quietly said.

"It never gets easier, does it?"

"No." Oliver noticed movement outside his office from the corner of his eye. He looked over to see Felicity and Thea talking and smiling. Diggle was standing off to the side. "But sometimes it does get better." When he caught their attention, he waved them in.

"Tommy," Thea happily greeted.

Tommy got up to hug her. "Thea, welcome home. You look more grown up every time I see you."

"What are you doing here? You and my brother planning another crazy event at Verdant?"

"Not yet, unfortunately."

Thea mock pouted. "You guys really are no fun anymore."

"You'll have to fill the fun quota for the two of us. But not too much fun. Keep it clean, Speedy," he jokingly warned, "or else your brother will have to break someone's neck."

Oliver exchanged a knowing look with Dig and Felicity, who both appeared to be trying not to laugh. He kept a straight face. Tommy, after all, had no way of knowing how accurate that statement actually was.

"I'd like to see him try," Thea laughed. "You ready for lunch, Ollie? Tommy, Felicity, you guys should join us."

"I don't want to intrude," Tommy replied and glanced at Felicity. The blonde also seemed hesitant.

"It's no intrusion. Gotta make the most of my time while I'm here."

"I am starving." Tommy rubbed his hands together. "Where are we going?"

"I've been dying for some Big Belly Burger. They don't have any near my school. Felicity, you coming?"

"I'd love to, but I've got a lot of work to do. In fact, I need to borrow Oliver for a second."

"We'll wait outside." Tommy put his arm around Thea's shoulder and guided her out the door. "Now tell me about all the hot sorority girls that you know and feel free to show pictures..."

Oliver shook his head in amusement at his best friend before addressing Felicity. "What's up?"

"I got the addresses of the guys who didn't respond to Ray's team. One lives in Adam Heights. The other two are roommates in South Boulevard. They moved there fairly recently."

"St. Walker's Hospital isn't too far from there," Diggle added. "Those performance enhancers probably had lasting effects that they are getting treated for."

With a nod, Oliver declared, "I'll start with them tonight. If they're continuing to have health problems without the drugs, then they could have a motive for stealing them."

"You mean like an addiction?" Diggle guessed.

"Possibly."

Felicity said, "I'll head over to the Foundry and see what else I can dig up on them."

"You sure you don't want to come to lunch?" Oliver questioned.

"I can't. I have too much to do."

Oliver almost insisted that Felicity come anyway. His excuse to sway her being that it would, at most, take an hour. She'd been spending more time than usual in the Foundry since Cooper's reappearance, and it had him worried. He wasn't worried so much about her workload as he was her throwing herself so completely into it. The Count's menacing warning had brought Felicity to tears last night, increasing her anxiety. Oliver had managed to sooth her slightly, but Thea's arrival made it more difficult to find time alone to talk.

Felicity must've sensed his concern, because she managed a smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes, though. "I'll be fine. Go spend time with your sister, Oliver. She's important to you. I'll see you later." She left the office and said a quick goodbye to Thea and Tommy on the way out.

As if reading his mind, Diggle said, "I'll go with Felicity and have Brad stay with you and Thea."

Oliver nodded his head in thanks before mustering a grin of his own. He spent the afternoon reminiscing with his sister and best friend and laughing at their jokes. Although it almost felt like old times, Tommy's words from earlier rang true. Nothing was ever easy.

* * *

Something wasn't right. Felicity could feel it. The more she worked on the cases they were trying to solve, the more she got that uneasy twist in the pit of her stomach. Too many things were piling up at once.

First, there was The Count's warning about Cooper. It made absolutely no sense that Cooper would be seeking out drug pushers, especially when he was continuing to terrorize Starling as Brother Eye. Second was the missing performance enhancers. It was like they'd upped and disappeared without a trace. If Oliver couldn't get anything out of the remaining test subjects tonight, the trail would once again be cold.

Third, there were the random murders in The Glades. Two more bodies had been found with the same wounds inflicted as the first three. It was almost like they'd been ripped apart. They were also criminals. People no one would mourn or miss, but their discoveries were disturbing all the same. Felicity didn't know if they were dealing with a serial killer or misguided vigilante, but they had to put a stop to him/her before the situation escalated any further. Finally, there was Malcolm Merlyn. He was totally off the grid again, which made it impossible to track him down. There was no activity at his private airstrip in Starling or contact with his former pilot buddy. It was like trying to capture a ghost.

Lots of questions with very few answers. Were these instances coincidences? Could be. Isn't that how life worked? Moments of calm disrupted by innate chaos. Felicity, shaking her head, wasn't quite convinced. She had to be missing something. She'd always been a problem solver growing up. If there was a loose end, Felicity would find it and unravel it until she found the answer. There was a loose end somewhere in all of this, and she wouldn't stop until she discovered it.

"Something smells good."

Deep in thought, Felicity jumped at the unexpected sound of Thea's voice. After spending so many hours down in the Foundry this afternoon, she figured it would be good to take a break. Felicity had returned to the loft not too long ago to start dinner. "Oh, Thea, hi. I didn't know you were home."

"Sorry if I scared you."

"No, it's okay. Oliver doesn't get back until later, so I'm used to being here alone." It was odd having someone else staying in the loft. The change had been palpable this morning. Aside from the Foundry, the loft was the only place she and Oliver didn't have to pretend. Thea seemed as sweet as Oliver had described her, but Felicity was very aware once again that she was the guest in their home. Everything Felicity said and did was done with care. It had only been a day, and she already felt exhausted. Felicity could only imagine how Oliver, when he first returned from the island and became The Arrow, had managed to live with his family and keep his secret.

Thea leaned against the counter. "Do you cook dinner every night?"

Felicity continued chopping the vegetables. "A few nights a week. I'm a big fan of leftovers. It's less work."

"That's really nice," Thea commented. "I'm sure my brother appreciates it."

"He forgets to eat sometimes. Getting one good meal a day in him is an accomplishment in and of itself," she joked while moving the vegetables into the frying pan.

"I'm glad my brother has someone looking out for him."

Felicity shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "That's what friends are for."

Thea walked over to the fridge to grab a soda. "Yeah, that's what's interesting. My brother isn't exactly known for having many female friends. Not to mention, I saw the daggers Carrie was shooting at you with her eyes today. She's clearly threatened by you."

"There's a first time for everything, I suppose," Felicity replied. "And Carrie...she's just..."

"She's a bitch," Thea stated outright. "You don't need to sugarcoat it."

Felicity laughed out loud. "That sounds about right. Glad I'm not the only one who noticed."

"Please, I couldn't stand her even when she was my mother's assistant. She was such a suck-up, especially when Oliver was around. The only reason she went out of her way to be nice to me was to impress him. So fake."

"Thankfully, I don't have too much contact with her anymore. It was touch and go for awhile when Oliver was injured. I had to get documents from her to bring home to him. Not the most thrilling month of my life."

"I wanted to thank you for that, by the way. As good as it's been to get away from Starling, I've missed my brother. When I heard about Ollie's accident, I totally panicked," Thea revealed, her voice filled with underlying grief. "I already lost him once and now with my mom gone...I don't know what I'd do if something happened to him."

"Oliver told me what happened to your mom." Felicity turned away from the stove to face her. She wanted Thea to see how much she genuinely meant her next words. "I'm so sorry, Thea."

"I didn't know about you and my brother all these years. But what I do know is that Ollie needs people in his life he can trust. It's hard for him to open up."

The corner of Felicity's mouth rose in a half-grin. "I've noticed."

"He wouldn't let just anyone live here. When I said I was coming home to take care of him, Ollie was adamant that he was in good hands. I could tell how much he meant it, so I went along with it," Thea stated. "I don't know you, Felicity, but I can see that you really care about my brother."

"I do," Felicity confirmed, wrestling with how much she should actually reveal to Thea. She settled on, "I would do anything for him."

"That makes two of us." Thea offered her a warm, accepting smile before motioning to the food. "Do you need some help? It'll be good practice before Thanksgiving. I apologize now for my lack of culinary skill."

"I would love some help," Felicity replied. "And don't worry. I know exactly where Oliver keeps the fire extinguisher." She waved for Thea to join her by the stove and explained how to sauté the vegetables. When Thea affirmed that she could handle stirring, Felicity got started on the rest of the meal.

Their conversation was light and fun after that as they attempted to get to know each other better. Felicity and Thea had a lot more in common than they'd realized. Both were suckers for Disney movies growing up and loved to belt out the soundtracks. They tried to sing their own version of "Under the Sea," which turned out horrendous. Felicity was a pretty good singer, but Thea's voice would crack every ten seconds as she tried to match pitch. By the time Oliver returned home, dinner was just about ready and Felicity and Thea were laughing hysterically.

"You did not!"

Felicity, giggling, admitted, "I totally did. It was a Sci-Fi convention, so it's not like I was the weirdest one there. The guys dared me to wear actual cinnamon buns on my ears and I did it. Princess Leia never looked so sweet. Plus, I totally had a snack handy when I got hungry later."

"You are such a nerd. An adorable nerd, but a nerd nonetheless," Thea teased.

"That is very true."

Thea, curious, asked, "Who was the weirdest one dressed at that convention?"

Felicity snorted at the memory. "Oh man, some big guy came dressed as Jabba the Hutt. And I mean 'dressed' in the loosest possible sense. He basically painted himself green, wore a matching Speedo and drew a face on his chest. He pretended to talk out of his belly button and fat rolls the entire time."

Thea nearly spit out her drink she was laughing so hard. Even Felicity was clutching her sides as she attempted to catch her breath.

Oliver couldn't help grinning himself at the sight of them. "I clearly walked in at the wrong part of this conversation." He placed his briefcase on the side table and took off his coat before approaching them.

"Oh, hey," Felicity greeted. "You're actually right on time. Dinner is ready."

Thea grabbed the plates while Felicity got the utensils. "Felicity was just telling me about her nerdy college years. Did you go to any Sci-Fi conventions with her, Ollie?"

"Hanging out with people in costumes isn't really my thing."

Oliver heard Felicity cough next to him as she tried to cover a laugh. He mock glared at her before tugging affectionately on her ponytail. Thea handed him a full plate, to which he replied, "If you actually cooked, I'm not sure I can eat this."

"Haha," Thea deadpanned. "Relax. Felicity cooked."

"Well, you did help," Felicity amended and bumped her hip. "She stirred those vegetables around like a pro."

"See," Thea retorted and playfully stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"I apologize, Speedy. I stand corrected."

Felicity smiled at Oliver and his sister teasing each other. It was a lighter side that she hadn't gotten to see of him. They took their seats at the table. Thea asked about the rest of Oliver's day. He told her a bit about how the family company was doing, which then led to stories about their visits to QC as kids. Felicity simply listened, not wanting to intrude on their reminiscing.

Thea checked her watch, "Oh, crap. I gotta get ready."

"You have plans for tonight?" Oliver asked.

"I'm meeting up with a couple of old friends. We're going to Verdant. You going to be there?"

Oliver snuck a glance a Felicity. She was in the kitchen cleaning up. "Uh, not tonight. It's been a long day. I think I'll stay in."

She watched him for a moment with a hint of a knowing smile on her face. "I'd ask who are you and what you've done with my brother, but it's really not necessary."

Oliver frowned in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing," Thea said with a shake of her head. "I'll see you later. Don't go to bed too early, old man."

"That's not even funny," Oliver called after her.

Thea laughed and waved him off as she made her way upstairs.

Felicity walked over to the table and started stacking their plates. "She has a point. Not about the old part but the going to bed part. If you're going to be hunting down emotionally-damaged, genetically-enhanced test subjects, sleeping might be a good idea before we head over to the Foundry. Not that I'm implying that we sleep together." The blonde babbled on, "And by 'sleep' I mean strictly rest. Not me and you but just you. Not that I couldn't use a nap, but I should clean up and then I have to-"

Checking to make sure that Thea's door was shut, Oliver said, "I actually had something else in mind." He reached out for Felicity and caught her by the waist before she had a chance to move away. She let out a soft squeal in surprise when she landed in his lap.

"Oliver, what are you-" she began when his lips silenced her. His mouth moved tenderly yet hungrily over hers, demanding a response. Felicity instantly melted into him and wound her arms around his neck. The tension that had been plaguing her all day lessened as she took comfort in the warmth and strength of his embrace.

"I've been wanting to do that all day." His voice was low and thick, causing goosebumps to form on Felicity's skin.

"Oliver, Thea could come out and catch us any minute," Felicity pointed out. Despite her objection, she couldn't exactly bring herself to pull away from him.

"It'll take her at least an hour to get ready. Besides, we never did get to have that glass of wine last night."

"You sure having a drink before fighting criminals is a good idea?"

"One glass isn't enough to even get me buzzed."

Felicity smiled and leaned her forehead against his. "Lucky you. I'm such a lightweight. One glass will most definitely get me drunk." She kissed his upper lip. "I'll probably be squinting at my computer screen and trying to type in the right commands." Then his lower lip. "Not to mention slurring my words in between belting out Spice Girls songs while you're demanding the location of the bad guy." Felicity kissed his lips full on before murmuring, "Then I'll send you the wrong way and most likely run you into a bus, for which I will feel extremely guilty once I sober up."

Oliver chuckled and shook his head. "I doubt it will be as dramatic as all that."

"I'll have half a glass, just to be on the safe side," she said, kissing him once more. Oliver was right. They had to take advantage of what free time they had. There was no telling when another crisis would pop up.

He patted her legs. "Unfortunately, you're going to need to get up so I can get the bottle."

Felicity pouted playfully and was about to stand when she felt something vibrate against her leg. "Either that's your phone or you really don't want me to get up."

"Cute," Oliver muttered as he reached for his phone. It was a text from Laurel. The grin quickly disappeared when he read the message.

"Oh no, you've got angry face," Felicity observed. Already she could feel their few minutes of bliss slipping away. "I'm assuming the wine will have to wait once more. What is it?"

"The police were supposed to move The Count out of the hospital tonight. Instead they found him hanging in his cell."

"Oh, God," she breathed and stood up. Felicity began pacing as she processed this new development. The Count was a horrible, dangerous person from what she heard. It wasn't so much his death affecting her as it was the meaning behind it. "I knew it." At Oliver's questioning stare, she elaborated, "I obviously didn't know that that was going to happen, but I'm not surprised. I had this weird feeling all day like something bad was going to happen. You don't think it was actually suicide, do you?"

"Honestly, no." It didn't make any sense to Oliver for The Count to kill himself. Laurel had gotten him a better deal than he deserved, and The Count definitely wasn't the self-sacrificing type. There was only one logical explanation. "Cooper must've found out he talked and needed to tie up a loose end. Whoever else he's been working with, it would serve as a warning."

"Cooper's never killed anyone before." Felicity crossed her arms in an attempt to hold herself together. The anxious knot in her stomach was growing by the second. She knew Cooper had gone over the edge, but it was still hard to fathom that he would take it this far. "He's becoming more dangerous."

"Felicity, we don't know if he actually did it," Oliver attempted to calm her. "The Count had a lot of enemies."

"Maybe so, but it's too much of a coincidence that he ends up dead not long after we question him about Cooper. And so what if Cooper hired someone to do it? Doesn't mean he's not responsible."

"Felicity," Oliver said when she started putting on her coat. "Where are you going?"

"The Foundry. Where else?" Felicity grabbed her purse and turned to face him. First it was big corporations. Now it was criminals. How long would it be before Cooper did something to harm people that were completely innocent? "I'm going to take him down once and for all. You coming?"

* * *

The men who lived in South Boulevard definitely weren't involved in stealing the performance enhancers. Oliver and Diggle investigated the empty apartment but didn't find anything. While Oliver waited for one of them to return, Diggle went to talk to a few neighbors. They filled in the details. The reason those men hadn't gotten back in touch with Ray's team was because one of the men had died while the other was in a coma in the hospital. Both were adverse reactions to having been exposed to such a lethal drug for so long.

The only lead they had left was Samuel Ronsen, who lived in Adam Heights. Felicity had done a background check on him and learned that he wasn't exactly the perfect soldier. He had a few complaints filed against him for misconduct and unnecessary violence during his army days. Ronsen certainly seemed like someone with the skills and motive to break into Applied Sciences and steal the performance enhancers.

For the second time that night, Oliver found himself breaking and entering while Diggle kept watch out front. Ronsen's apartment was a mess. There were pieces of broken furniture and old takeout containers all over the floor. Clothes were strewn about. Upon closer look, Oliver noticed that the shirts in one pile were all covered in dried blood.

"Diggle," Oliver said into his comm, "This might be our guy. Felicity, can you use his phone to get a location?"

It took a moment for Felicity to respond. When Oliver had left, she'd been meticulously working on learning the details of The Count's death in an attempt to get a clue on finding Cooper. " _He doesn't have it on him._ _It's in the apartment._ "

"Where?"

" _Somewhere in the living room is my best guess._ "

Sighing, Oliver began to sort through the mess. "Found it."

" _Oliver_ ," Diggle spoke up. " _There's a suspicious figure entering the building_. _Doesn't look too steady on his feet. It might be Ronsen._ "

Oliver put the phone in his pocket. Maybe Felicity would be able to get something off of it later.

He loaded his bow and aimed it at the door. Diggle was right, because it opened. The man entered and flipped on the light switch, turning on only a small lamp by the couch. "Don't move," Oliver ordered in his Arrow voice.

The Samuel Ronsen Oliver had seen in photographs in the research files did not match the man standing before him. He looked dirty and disheveled, like he hadn't taken a shower in days. His hair was longer and his previously shaved face now had a beard.

Ronsen's bloodshot eyes narrowed at the sight of The Arrow. His upper lip curled in derision as his hands fisted at his sides. " _You_."

"I'm not here to hurt you. I only want to talk," Oliver said to him.

"About what?" Ronsen demanded through gritted teeth.

"You were part of a government experiment involved in developing performance enhancers. Those drugs are now missing."

A muscle in Ronsen's neck twitched. "Not my problem."

"Did you take them?"

"No."

"Do you know who did?"

The slight pause before his answer told Oliver he was lying. "No."

"You get one more chance to tell me the truth before I stop asking nicely," Oliver threatened.

Ronsen took a menacing step forward. The small amount of light now reflecting off of him revealed a streak of red across the front of his shirt. The sleeves of his arms were also covered in blood. Oliver looked him over carefully. Ronsen didn't appear to be injured, which meant that the blood wasn't his own. "Where were you tonight? Did someone get hurt?"

The man's head twitched to the side. The longer he stared at Oliver, the more vicious his expression became. "You shouldn't have come here. Now I have to kill you. I don't want to, but I have to."

"You don't have to do anything," Oliver replied.

"I lost control of my life a long time ago. Either I kill you or you kill me. It's the only way this can end."

Oliver didn't get a chance to question him further before Ronsen lunged. He shot an arrow into his shoulder. Ronsen grunted but kept moving forward. Oliver quickly released another arrow. It hit him in the leg, and Ronsen faltered. He reached for both arrows and yanked them out like they were nothing more than a mere splinter.

"Diggle, we've found our guy," Oliver murmured. No way would a normal man be able to withstand that type of pain so easily. Ronsen must still be taking the drugs. It would explain his erratic and enraged behavior.

" _I'm coming_ ," Diggle answered back.

Oliver punched Ronsen in the face with the base of his bow. His head whipped back for a second before his own fists were flying. He clipped Oliver in the jaw, sending him into the coffee table. It broke beneath Oliver's weight. Ronsen leaned over him, ready to deliver another blow, when Diggle came barreling into the apartment. He fired his gun and hit Ronsen in the back. It only seemed to anger him further because Ronsen turned on Diggle. Diggle got in a few punches of his own before Ronsen tackled him to the ground.

" _Oliver_ ," Felicity said in his ear.

"I'm a little busy."

" _Your friendly chat must've disturbed the neighbors, because someone just contacted the police. SCPD is on their way over now_."

Oliver cursed under his breath and stood. Ronsen was still on top of Diggle. His partner was doing his best to fend him off, but it wasn't without a few bruises and a busted lip. Oliver pulled out one of his specialty arrows and fired. It landed right next to the bullet wound Diggle had inflicted. The Arrow beeped and exploded, sending Ronsen flying to the side and off of Diggle. The Arrow did the trick, because Ronsen didn't get back up.

Oliver held out his hand to help Diggle up. "You okay?"

Diggle coughed a few times, hunching over. "Nothing a large ice pack and some aspirin can't cure."

"The cops are on their way. We have to go."

"Did you find the performance enhancers?"

"I didn't get a chance to look. It's up to the police now." Before leaving, Oliver found an inconspicuous spot on the wall to stick one of his small transmitter arrows. They'd be able to hear everything the police said when they arrived.

Felicity already had the first aid kit handy by the time they returned to the Foundry. While she tended to Diggle's injuries, Oliver listened to the conversation between Detective Lance and his partner. Two more random bodies had been found tonight. They suspected that Ronsen might've been behind the murders. An eye witness saw a man fitting his description in the area. Combined with the fresh blood on Ronsen's clothes and in his apartment, there was enough evidence to take him into custody. They would have to run a few tests to be absolutely sure. Afterward, Oliver relayed the information to Diggle and Felicity.

"Well, that's good. They found the killer, and now he's off the streets," Felicity stated. "The performance enhancers will probably turn up once they finish their search."

Oliver was silent as he put his gear away.

Diggle, sensing that there was more to all of this, questioned, "What are you thinking, Oliver?"

"Ronsen said he didn't take the drugs. I could tell he was lying, but there was something else. It was like he was expecting me to find him."

"What's so odd about that? All the bad guys at this point know there's a possibility of being taken down by you. If he was murdering people, it makes sense that you would find him eventually," Felicity reasoned.

"I didn't get the sense that it was about that. He said that he didn't want to kill me, but he had to. He also said that he didn't have control over his life anymore. That either I would die or him."

"So he was working for someone else," Diggle surmised. "Which also means he might not be in possession of the drugs. Someone else could be using them as leverage."

"I don't know. Possibly." Oliver handed the phone to Felicity. "This is Ronsen's. See if you can find anything. I want to know who he's been in contact with and if there's been any strange communications."

"I'm on it." Felicity took the phone and muttered to herself, "Probably good I didn't have that wine after all."


	21. Chapter 21

**Thanks for the reviews last chapter! Some of you were wondering if any other _Arrow_ characters might be making an appearance. You'll get your answer this chapter. Enjoy!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

There was nothing her tablet couldn't do, Felicity was convinced. Not only did she have all the recipes she needed immediately on hand, but the multiple timers she created to keep track of each cooking dish were a literal godsend. Hacking into the FBI's facial recognition software took less coordination. Thankfully, the food should be ready by the time everyone arrived in a half hour. Felicity was determined that everything be perfect.

"The turkey is looking good," Thea said. She was on basting duty.

"Good. If you want to go upstairs and finish getting ready, I'm fine down here."

"You sure?"

"Yes. You've been a great help, but I've got it all handled for right now." They'd gotten up early to start prepping the food and had been working through the afternoon. After giving Thea specific instructions, Felicity had taken some time for herself to get ready. She knew she wouldn't get a chance later when it got closer to the time for their guests to arrive.

"Thanks. I really need to fix my hair," Thea lamented and turned to face Felicity. "What do you think of this dress?"

Felicity took in the black sequined dress and smiled. "You look beautiful. Why?"

Thea hesitated for a moment. "I sort of invited a friend to dinner. I was going to tell you and Ollie but..."

"What's his name?" Felicity knowingly inquired. A girl only gets worked up over an outfit for one reason.

"Roy. We met last year and have kept in touch. He actually works at Verdant now."

"Roy Harper?" Felicity had a vague idea of who Thea was talking about. Roy was a server and bus boy at Verdant. He was a little on the short side for a guy but had the face of an Abercrombie model. The only time they'd spoken was when Roy had almost caught her going to the Foundry's secret entrance. Felicity had made up a lame excuse about Oliver asking her to check some wiring that ran through the alley. Roy didn't call her on it, but he didn't seem to actually believe her either.

"Yeah. He doesn't really have any family, and I didn't want him to spend the holiday alone."

"Thea, it's fine. I'll set another place at the table."

"It's actually not you I'm worried about. Oliver can be a little overprotective."

Felicity, grinning, knew firsthand just how protective Oliver could be. As exasperating as he could be sometimes, it was also one of the reasons why she'd fallen in love with him. "That's true, but I think he'll be on his best behavior. It is Thanksgiving, after all."

"Who'll be on their best behavior?" Oliver questioned as he came downstairs. He wore a form-fitting navy blue sweater over his dress shirt and a pair of khaki pants. His hair was still slightly damp from his shower, and his face was freshly shaved with only a little bit of scruff remaining.

"You when Thea's friend arrives," Felicity answered, sending him a pointed look.

"I'm not following."

Thea clarified, "Roy Harper is joining us."

"Roy from the club?"

"Yes."

"The one who stole your purse last year?"

"Ollie, you know he's not like that anymore," Thea immediately defended. "Tommy wouldn't have hired him if he couldn't be trusted. Please be nice when he gets here. He doesn't have any family, and I already had to beg him to come because he didn't want to intrude."

"Any friend of yours is a friend of mine, Speedy," Oliver assured her. He hadn't been a fan of his sister's friendship with Roy. For a while, Thea had been acting out. She had a drug problem and a couple of brushes with the law last year. From what Oliver heard, Roy had a rap sheet of his own. Oliver worried Roy would be a bad influence on Thea, but the opposite seemed to have happened. In her determination to help Roy find a second chance, Thea picked herself back up as well.

"Thank you." She kissed her brother's cheek and headed for the stairs.

"Don't scare him with your voice," Felicity warned once Thea was in her room.

"What voice?"

"You know, _the_ voice," the blonde hinted as she grabbed another place setting. "The one you get when putting the fear of God into criminals."

"Ah, that one. As long as _he_ behaves around my sister, I won't have to make the usual threats."

"Yeah, that doesn't exactly put my mind at ease, Oliver."

Oliver stared at the elegant setup. The kitchen table had been extended to create a dining room table. There was a dark orange tablecloth covering it with six place settings and a cornucopia centerpiece. Upon closer inspection, Oliver noticed the small turkey salt and pepper shakers. "Where did you get these?"

"Thea found them. She said it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Mr. Feathers and Mrs. Butterball," Felicity explained.

"She's right. My mom bought them when I was five. She put them at the kiddy table with Tommy and me. We used to pretend they were action figures. Eventually, Thea gave them names. Even after we could join the adults we still used them."

"They certainly are cute," Felicity agreed and walked back into the kitchen to put the finishing touches on a few dishes.

Oliver watched her flutter around the kitchen. Felicity looked beautiful in her maroon lace dress and heels. Her hair was down and curled, and her makeup highlighted her feminine features. He loved her eyes especially. Even through her glasses they managed to be bright and striking. One well-placed look from her had the power to shift his entire day. The finishing touch was the apron she wore as she cooked. Oliver didn't think he'd ever seen his mother wear one, since they always had a hired chef growing up. On Felicity, it looked so adorably normal and domestic.

Felicity had just taken the yams out of the oven when she felt Oliver come up behind her. He wound his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. He placed a kiss on her cheek and then her neck before she even had a chance to question him.

"Thank you for this," he murmured.

"Don't thank me until you've actually tried the food," she joked.

"I'm sure it'll be great." Felicity was the type of person who could find success in whatever she set her mind to.

"I hope so. I want everything to be perfect."

Oliver turned her around to face him. "Even if it isn't, you've done more than enough. I was worried about Thea. When everyone thought my dad and I were gone, it was just her and my mom. For better or for worse, Thea always had her to depend on-especially when I couldn't be the brother she needed. Now that she's gone...today could've been much harder for Thea but seeing the two of you together, smiling and laughing, I can tell that you've helped her get through it."

"I'm glad," Felicity replied and gently rubbed his shoulders. "But what about you? Are you okay?" Oliver had mostly stayed out of their way. He spent a few hours at the Foundry this morning, most likely to workout. Felicity got the sense that he needed some time alone with his thoughts.

"I'm getting there," he told her and placed a hand on her cheek. He guided her mouth to his. The kiss started off soft and tender before becoming wrought with inherent need and passion. There was something about Felicity that both soothed him and yet always left him wanting more.

Oliver had never felt that way about any other woman. Even though he'd once loved Laurel, Oliver had felt a sense of restlessness and detachment throughout their entire relationship. It hurt to realize that those feelings never quite left despite returning home with a new outlook. With Felicity, it was different. He felt restless when he wasn't with her. All the times he'd tried to compartmentalize his feelings proved futile. Felicity hadn't opened the lock on his heart, she'd broken it. Before Oliver even knew what was happening, she'd become a part of him.

By the time they pulled apart, Felicity was breathless and clinging to Oliver like her life depended on it. In a way, it did. "This is important to me, too. It's the first time in a long time I feel like I have something to be truly thankful for. That's because of you."

"I know what you mean." Oliver captured her lips once more, savoring the moment. "Felicity..."

With one last kiss, she drew back and smiled up at him. "Yes?"

"Felicity," Oliver repeated softly. "I..." The three little but powerful words were on the tip of his tongue. Once he said them, there really would be no going back. There was no going back for Oliver regardless. What mattered was that she deserved to know how he truly felt. "Felicity, I-"

The doorbell rang, breaking them out of the spell. Oliver groaned internally at his shoddy timing. He couldn't catch a break with her.

"That would be our guests. Later," Felicity promised while quickly wiping off the small smudge of lipstick on his bottom lip. She checked her own appearance in the side mirror. With a nod, she signaled Oliver to open the door.

"John," Felicity happily greeted and pulled him into a hug. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Felicity, Oliver." He shook hands with Oliver and stepped aside to reveal a woman of medium height with short, curly brown hair. She wore a simple black dress that highlighted her fair complexion and natural beauty. "I'd like you to officially meet my girlfriend, Lyla Michaels. Lyla, this is Oliver's friend Felicity that I was telling you about."

With a welcoming smile, Felicity stuck out her hand. "Lyla, it's great to meet you."

Lyla shifted the dish she was holding and shook Felicity's hand. "You, too. Oliver, it's good to see you again. Thank you for inviting us. I brought some of my grandmother's famous corn bread."

"And wine," Diggle said and held up the bottle.

"Oh, thank you. This looks great," Felicity complimented and took the dish from Lyla. She put it on the counter with the rest of the food.

Oliver was taking their coats when the doorbell rang again. This time it was Tommy. He'd also brought a bottle of wine and a dessert. It was, of course, from the best bakery in Starling. After doing the whole manly shoulder pat with Oliver, he went over to hug Felicity properly.

"Wow, it smells great in here. I'm already starved," Tommy declared. "Is there anything you can't do?"

Felicity pretended to think about it and shrugged. "Play sports?"

Tommy chuckled. "Athletic ability is highly overrated. A full stomach is much more important. Ask any man. Need help with anything?"

"Trying to take my job, Merlyn," Thea called as she made her way downstairs. She said hello to Diggle and Lyla before sidling up to Tommy.

Tommy feigned a look of terror. "You cooked?"

"Thea actually helped me with everything and did an excellent job," Felicity spoke up.

"Thank you, Felicity," Thea replied with satisfied smile. "At least someone has a little faith in me."

"Speedy, I'm impressed. If you can learn to cook, then there might still be some hope for Laurel."

"Oh, even I know there's no hope for Laurel," Thea retorted with an amused scoff.

"That's probably true," Oliver agreed as he worked around Felicity to open the bottles of wine and get everyone drinks. He wouldn't dare attempt to help with the food but as a former party boy, according to Felicity, he could certainly handle the beverages. "She really is a terrible cook."

"Do you remember that time she read the recipe wrong and put two tablespoons of pepper in that pasta sauce?" Tommy asked.

"Oh God, that was awful," Oliver replied with a groan. "There wasn't enough water in the world to stop the burning."

"My eyes were watering for a solid hour."

"That shouldn't happen tonight. I don't think," Felicity added while taking the turkey out of the oven. There was more small talk as Felicity and Thea finished getting dinner ready. Even Lyla assisted in the setup. All of the food would stay on the counter, so that everyone could serve themselves before sitting down.

Thea practically sprinted to the door when the bell rang a final time. Roy cleaned up nicely in black dress pants and a red, button-down shirt. He held a small bouquet of flowers in his hands. If it weren't for the large bruise on his left cheek, he would've looked like the perfect gentleman.

Thea reached for his face, concerned. "Roy, what happened?"

"It's nothing. Some guy at the club got out of hand last night. When I dragged him out, he took a swing at me. I'm fine." He held the flowers out to Thea, seemingly eager to drop the subject. "These are for you."

Thea's entire face lit up in a beaming smile. "That's really sweet of you. Thank you, Roy." She ushered him inside and introduced him to everyone.

"Give the bouncer the name of that guy last night," Tommy told him. "I'll make sure he's banned from now on."

"Sure thing, boss."

"No need to be so proper, Roy. It's Thanksgiving. Tommy is fine."

Felicity discretely nudged Oliver, to which he agreed, "Right. Make yourself at home."

"Dinner's almost ready. Oliver, do you want to carve the turkey? Not sure I really trust myself with a carving knife," Felicity joked and held it out for him.

Oliver smiled and let his fingers lightly brush hers as he took the knife. "I think I can handle it."

Diggle grinned before taking a sip of his wine. "Let me know if you need backup, man. That bird looks kind of big."

"Save me a leg, Ollie," Tommy instructed. He was practically salivating in anticipation of the food. Felicity wondered when was the last time he ate a decent meal. What was it with these billionaires and their terrible eating habits?

After Oliver was done carving the turkey, everyone grabbed their plates and helped themselves to the delicious food Felicity and Thea had prepared. They all took their seats. Oliver was at the head of the table with Thea, Roy and Tommy on his left. Felicity, Lyla and Diggle sat to his right. Once they were all settled in, Oliver cleared his throat to say a few words. "So I'm not exactly used to doing this. It was usually my father or my mother who made a toast before these things. Now neither one of them is here. They're greatly missed"-he met Thea's eye-"but never forgotten. There's the phrase you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family. I have to disagree. If there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that family isn't always about blood. Family is a choice. We choose the kinds of people to let into our lives, and today I'm thankful that all of you are in mine. So...Happy Thanksgiving, everyone."

"Happy Thanksgiving," they all repeated and raised their glasses. Afterward, the sound of forks on plates and laughter filled the room as they began eating.

Thea leaned over to whisper to her brother, "Mom and Dad would be proud, Ollie."

Oliver gave his sister one of his special smiles and placed his hand over hers. "Thanks, Speedy." He looked out over the table at his friends who were more like family, surprised by the sense of contentment he felt. As he'd told Felicity, Oliver didn't know how he was going to deal with the holidays now that both his parents were gone. The pain of their loss would always be there, but it wasn't as crippling as he'd expected. One thing he did know for sure was that this never would've been possible without Felicity. He watched the blonde as she spoke with Lyla.

As if she could sense his eyes on her, Felicity looked over at Oliver. She offered him a small, meaningful smile before turning back to answer a question from Diggle. Tommy complimented the food before getting up for a second helping, to which Roy followed. The stuffing had always been Oliver's favorite, and even he couldn't resist getting more.

"You guys better save room for dessert," Felicity affectionately warned.

Tommy joked, "I might need a nap before then."

"You're telling me." It felt good to finally be sitting down after slaving away in the kitchen all day.

They took a little break after dinner, and the lighthearted conversation continued. Everyone was laughing hysterically after Tommy finished telling them about the time he'd filled his entire swimming pool with beer.

"How many kegs did that take again?" Oliver questioned.

"Roughly a thousand or so. It seemed like a good idea at the time but to this day I still can't drink that brand."

"Too much of a good thing?" Felicity teased.

"Just a little bit."

"I wouldn't want to see that bill," Diggle commented.

"It wasn't cheap." Tommy shrugged. "But what can I say? The idle rich are tough to entertain."

"I once wanted to fill the bathtub with chocolate," Thea said. "Mom wouldn't let me do it, though. So I colored on the walls instead."

"Which you totally got away with, because you were just 'so cute' while doing it," Oliver stated, making air quotes. "Meanwhile, Tommy and I have one Super Soakers battle in the house and I get grounded for a week."

"That's because you soaked Dad's art collection."

"That's not how I remember it."

"Of course it's not." Thea shook her head at her brother before looking to Felicity. "Felicity, you got any childhood stories of mischief? Vegas seems like the perfect place to cause some trouble."

"Um, let me think...oh, I know. Sometimes my mom would take me to work with her when she couldn't find a babysitter. She got friendly with one of the showgirls. I can't remember her real name, but everyone called her Big-D for...obvious reasons." They all laughed at that. "I just called her D. Anyway, she would let me play dress-up with her costumes. One night I sort of ripped one of the clasps. It was literally hanging on by a thread, and I was too afraid to tell her. So D puts it on and has no idea that it's broken. A few minutes later I'm back with my mother while D is on stage performing. She goes to do her cartwheel, gravity takes over, and the entire back strap that supports the front of her costume let's go...let's just say the audience got their money's worth that night."

The entire table erupted in laughter once more. Felicity placed her hands over her face to hide her blush of embarrassment. She couldn't believe she actually told them that story.

"Nice," Oliver complimented, enjoying this side of her. Felicity was almost as tight-lipped as he was about her past growing up. He loved that she felt comfortable enough to open up a bit more with all of them now.

"Sounds like my kind of show," Tommy added.

"I felt terrible," Felicity insisted. "Aside from that, when I was older, I would put hot sauce in the drinks of guys who were jerks to my mom."

"Well, thank you for not putting that in our food tonight," Diggle said and raised his wine glass to salute her.

"That's only because I like all of you. Speaking of..." Felicity stood. "Who's ready for dessert?"

* * *

"How can you possibly look so exhausted when you didn't do anything today?" Thea teased as she sat down next to her brother on the couch.

Oliver muted the football game he was watching and affectionately nudged her. "Hey, I cleaned while you ladies were chatting in the living room."

"Diggle, Tommy and Roy helped you. That hardly qualifies as a strenuous task."

"Putting up with you is exhausting in and of itself, Speedy," Oliver joked and threw his arm around his sister.

"I could say the same about you," Thea sassily quipped back. "You're just lucky I love you."

"Did you have a good day?" Their friends had stayed for a while after dinner was over. They all sat in the living room by the fire, sharing stories and laughing about random things. Oliver had sat between Thea and Felicity, enjoying the mere fact that they both seemed so carefree. It was the reprieve they'd all desperately needed.

"I had a great day." Thea offered him a smile before her expression turned serious. "I still missed Mom and Dad, though."

"I know." He felt the pang of loss in his heart that had become all too familiar over the years. "Me, too."

"Ollie, do you believe in heaven?"

"I believe in hell." He'd lived through it himself those five years he was away. "If that exists, then I think there's a good chance the opposite is true."

"Mom and Dad weren't perfect. Sometimes I wonder..." She took a heavy breath. "I wonder if they can still see us. As angry as I was at them for the Undertaking, the idea of Mom and Dad suffering for all eternity because of the wrongs they did in this world makes me-"

Oliver cut in, "Thea, you can't think like that."

"But I do." Her eyes began to water. "It doesn't matter how far away I get from Starling, it bothers me all the same."

"I know we haven't really talked about this, but I was angry. It comes and goes for me, too. But for all their faults, Mom and Dad loved us, Thea. They would do anything to protect us, and they did. That's how I choose to remember them." Oliver wiped away her tears before hugging her tightly.

"When did you get to be so wise?"

"I have my moments."

"You do seem different," Thea acknowledged, pulling back slightly to look at him. "I could attribute it to you maturing as a person, but the only difference between now and the last time I saw you is a certain attractive blonde."

"Thea, I told you. Felicity and I are-"

"Full of crap," she interrupted. "Spare me the spiel, Ollie. I know there's more to it. I saw you guys kissing in the kitchen this afternoon."

That brought Oliver up short, and he was suddenly thankful that Felicity had decided to retire to her room to take a bath. Not knowing where his sister was going with this, Oliver wasn't sure he wanted Felicity around to hear. "I thought you were in your room getting ready."

"I ran out of hairspray and was going to ask Felicity if I could borrow some of hers. She looked a little busy with you kissing her senseless and all, so I decided not to interrupt." Thea shrugged. "Not that it came as that big of a surprise. I had my suspicions when you said someone was staying with you. Those suspicions were confirmed as soon as I came home and saw that new carpet by the door and the pictures on the walls. You don't let someone decorate if it's not serious."

"We were still friends when she did that."

"Doesn't matter if you're more than friends now," Thea pointed out. "But let's just say a new, colorfully plush carpet didn't tip me off. I knew something was up within five minutes of meeting Felicity. You were totally in protective mode. Then there were the cute little ponytail tugs. Isn't that what you used to do on the playground with girls you liked? Tug on their hair? Not to mention the way you look at her-"

"How exactly do I look at her?" He meant it as a challenge but was actually genuinely curious to hear his sister's thoughts.

"You kind of look like a guy who's seen the sun for the first time. It's hard to explain. Ever since you came back from the island, you smile and laugh but it never quite reaches your eyes. It's like you have this little cloud hanging over you all of the time. When Felicity is around, you seem so much lighter," Thea declared. "You actually smile for real. It's obvious that you really care about her, and I know she cares for you, too."

"And how do you know that?"

"I see the way she looks at you, too. She has the same reaction when you're in the room. She totally lights up. Plus, she takes care of you and I'm not just talking about your accident. I mean, the girl makes sure you get a proper meal, Ollie. You're practically married."

"Don't you think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself?" Oliver jokingly replied.

"Felicity told me point blank that she would do anything for you. From that look in your eyes, I know you would do the same. Am I wrong?" his sister challenged, not backing down.

Thea had always been too perceptive for her own good. She was also very trusting, which allowed Oliver to convince her of the opposite if he really needed to. When it came to Felicity, Oliver didn't want to lie to Thea. "No. But it's also not what you think. We're not technically dating...it's sort of complicated right now."

"Then you need to un-complicate it, Ollie." Thea sighed and motioned for him to lay it on her. "Let's hear it."

"She lives in Boston, for one thing." Felicity said she wanted to be with him, but it was hard to take her at her word when her life was still in danger. It wasn't that Oliver thought Felicity didn't mean it. He did. It was just that Felicity was so used to being under Cooper's thumb for so long that when she was finally free, she might feel differently. Maybe she wouldn't want to be a part of his team and spend her nights worrying about all the dangerous situations he took on. There was no underestimating the importance of normal.

"You don't think she'd want to move to Starling? She did come all the way out here and stayed to help you at QC."

"She's got a lot going on. She might not know what she wants right now."

"Have you actually asked her to stay?"

"No."

"Then how do you know what she wants? I've always told you that you need to let someone in," Thea said and placed a hand over his heart. "If that's who Felicity is for you, Ollie, then you shouldn't let that go."

Oliver stared at Thea for a moment, in awe at how much she had grown since he'd last seen her. "When did you get to be so wise?" he asked, turning her own quip back on her.

Thea lifted her chin, beaming proudly. "I've got mad relationship skills, bro. You should ask Felicity out on a real date." She patted his shoulder and stood. "Think about it."

"I will." He meant it.

"Good." She threw over her shoulder, "By the way, let me know if you need suggestions for trendy places to propose."

Oliver shook his head at his sister. She just couldn't resist. "Cute."


	22. Chapter 22

**As always, thank you guys for your comments. I love hearing your thoughts. Please read and review!**

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

After taking a couple of days off because of the holiday, it felt good for Oliver to be back in the Foundry with his partners. They had headed over after dropping Thea off at the airport. She'd hugged Oliver tightly and promised to be home soon for winter break. Thea had even pulled Felicity into a goodbye hug and asked if she would still be around for Christmas. When Felicity said that she was Jewish, Thea waved her hand and declared that they could totally celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas together. Felicity had then looked to Oliver uncertainly, who stepped in and said they'd consider it. Felicity had a family of her own she might want to visit, after all.

As much as he loved spending time with his little sister, Oliver couldn't say he wasn't slightly relieved to see her leave. Starling City was dangerous-more so than usual lately. Oliver preferred that she wasn't around as they delved deeper into the cases they were investigating. His family and his duties as The Arrow had been the hardest things to balance when he returned home. Unlike on the island, Oliver had other people to answer to and who wondered where he disappeared to on so many occasions. He wasn't as restricted in his movements now, though he would gladly sacrifice such ease if it meant having his mother back.

There was a comfortable silence between Oliver, Diggle and Felicity in the Foundry as the trio concentrated on their individual tasks. Oliver sat at his work bench and proceeded to make his arrows. Diggle was reading over files on Ronsen and any other suspicious cases that seemed related. Felicity was on multiple computers as she scanned databases and attempted to break into Ronsen's phone. There was a sizeable message that was encrypted. Felicity hadn't said much about it, but Oliver got the feeling that she knew something that she wasn't willing to share yet. He trusted her judgment, however, and knew that she probably wanted to confirm whatever suspicions she had before reporting anything.

"Making non-lethal arrows," Diggle commented. Oliver hadn't even noticed him approaching. "It's not like you to play with kid gloves."

"It couldn't hurt to have them on hand," Oliver replied. "They can still do some damage."

Diggle quietly inquired, "Those for Cooper?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Because as badly as Felicity wants to take him down, she's too good of a person to want him dead. And it probably isn't the best idea to kill the ex-boyfriend of the woman you're dating, even if he is a jackass."

Oliver's head snapped up at that. "What?"

"Oh please, man," Diggle said with a smirk. "I know you, Oliver. With all the time we spend together, do you honestly think I couldn't tell something had changed between you and Felicity?"

"We were trying to be discrete," Oliver muttered dejectedly. He really should've known better. Diggle had always been too perceptive for his own good.

Diggle good-naturedly chided, "Try harder."

"You don't have to look so pleased with yourself. And don't you dare say 'I told you so,'" Oliver warned.

His partner, chuckling, innocently held his hands up. "Hey, I didn't say anything, man."

"But you were thinking it. I know you, too, Dig," Oliver countered as he arranged the set of arrows he'd made. He snuck a peek over at the computer station to make sure Felicity hadn't overheard them. "Before you jump to conclusions, Felicity and I aren't official or anything. We're still figuring things out."

"Nothing wrong with that," Diggle agreed. "Just as long as you don't blow it."

Oliver shook his head at his friend. "Thank you for the vote of confidence."

"Sometimes you think too much."

"Just so you know, no one has ever accused me of that before."

"First time for everything. Speaking of, when are you going to take that girl out on an actual date?"

Rolling his eyes, Oliver huffed, "Now you sound like Thea."

"She's right."

"I told Thea I'd consider it, and I am. I just..." Oliver stared at Felicity. "There's a lot going on right now. I can't lose my focus."

"Is that how Felicity feels?" Diggle prodded, crossing his arms and assuming his typical all-knowing Yoda stance.

Oliver probably should talk to Diggle about how he was feeling. He had a tendency to keep his worries bottled up. If anyone could give him some perspective, it would be Diggle. At the same time, Oliver really couldn't have this conversation with Felicity so close by. Oliver motioned to the stairs, to which Diggle nodded.

"Felicity, Dig and I need to take care of some things upstairs," he called to her. "Let me know when you finally get in."

"Yeah, sure," Felicity said absently as she continued her work. It was best to leave her be when she was in hacker mode.

The guys left the Foundry and entered Verdant. A few staff members, Roy among them, bustled around as they stocked inventory and prepared for the opening in a couple of hours. Oliver led the way to his office and shut the door so that he and Diggle wouldn't be disturbed. They took a seat on the leather couch.

Diggle cut right to the chase. "So what's on your mind, Oliver?"

Oliver, sitting forward with his elbows on his knees, wasn't sure where to start. His thoughts and emotions were constantly in a state of flux. "You know that I have feelings for Felicity," he began. "The pull has been there ever since the moment we met."

"You've been fighting it for awhile," Diggle acknowledged.

"I thought I could distance myself from her, especially after she got shot. I felt so guilty because I had promised to protect her, and I let her down." Diggle had that look that signaled he was about to call him out on his crap so Oliver added quickly, "Before you give me the lecture, Felicity already scolded me and said that it was her choice. Anyway, I tried on multiple occasions to pull back but it's been difficult holding to it. Then that night when she went out with Palmer happened and I..."

"You were jealous," Diggle said knowingly.

There was no use denying it. "Yeah. It was bad," Oliver admitted. "I've never felt that way before-even when I thought I still loved Laurel and found out she'd been with Tommy." Yes, it had bothered Oliver that his former love and best friend had been hooking up. But after he'd snuck off with Sara, in a stunt that ultimately cost Sara her life, Oliver knew he had no right to object to anything Laurel did.

Tommy had been concerned about the impact it would have on their friendship and tried to apologize. Oliver didn't hold it against him or stand in the way of Tommy pursing her further. There was a brief time when he thought Laurel might be feeling the spark between them again. It had been before she and Tommy officially started dating. At the time, Oliver had been accused of being The Arrow and Laurel was defending him. She admired The Arrow and knew that there was no way playboy Oliver Queen could be the vigilante responsible for taking on criminals and saving lives. That had worked to Oliver's advantage.

He'd been on house arrest and had decided to throw a big party at the mansion to show that he wasn't taking the accusations seriously. Laurel had stopped by, and they'd shared a moment in his room. Oliver had agreed to take a lie detector test earlier, and Detective Lance had asked about the scar tissue on his body. Oliver admitted that he wasn't alone on the island and that he'd been tortured. That night, Laurel had asked to see the scars. Oliver was hesitant at first but agreed, because he knew Laurel was trying to understand how much he'd suffered over the years. Overcome with emotion, Laurel had kissed him. He'd just started kissing her back when she abruptly pulled away.

The initial spark began to fade after that. Oliver found himself being drawn deeper into his mission as The Arrow while Laurel grew closer to Tommy. It had been awkward and a little painful at first seeing them together, but Oliver eventually realized that he was more in love with the idea of rewriting the past than actually being the guy that Laurel deserved. She could never know the real him and the more he thought about it, the more Oliver realized that she might not have ever seen him for who he really was.

When they were dating, Laurel was completely blind to his bad boy antics and cheating ways. She chose to only see the good in him and, although the potential was there, he didn't act on it. When Oliver returned, the opposite was true. Laurel struggled to see that he'd changed for the better and only saw him for the playboy he once was. Eventually she came around but still she didn't know how deeply transformed he was by the island. It was then that Oliver decided to move on. He started dating other women but failed to make it work with them either. It got to a point that he resigned himself to a life of solitude and the occasional one-night stand.

Then Felicity, quite literally, came out of nowhere and turned his entire life upside down. Oliver hadn't been the same since. It was the first time he'd felt that spark again. It went beyond a shared past like with Laurel or physical attraction like with Helena and McKenna. Felicity was something entirely different. Yes, she'd looked beautiful that night at Verdant but that wasn't what captured him. Felicity's innocent babbling and kind nature appealed to him on a deeper level. Felicity wasn't a target that could be used against him or a threat to his Arrow identity-at least he hadn't thought she'd be a threat at the time. She was simply a person that, for a few minutes, allowed Oliver to let his guard down and feel something genuine.

When he found out she was a part of Brother Eye, it had been much easier to fight their connection. To bury his feelings and focus on the partnership they'd forged. But the pull was always there and sometimes it couldn't be ignored. Cooper, The Hoods, Petrov, and The Dodger had all been physical threats to Felicity. Threats that Oliver could easily combat as The Arrow. Ironically, it was Ray Palmer that tipped the scales. He wasn't technically a threat or a bad guy. Aside from the social awkwardness, he was a normal man who had achieved great success. He was by no means a threat to Felicity, but he was a threat to Oliver Queen. He would be able to give Felicity everything that Oliver couldn't, and it tore him up inside.

Unlike with Laurel, the idea of Felicity moving on with someone else weighed on him heavily. For once the rational, strategic part of his brain was not in control. Oliver could tell himself he needed to distance himself from Felicity all he wanted, but it did nothing to quell the feeling that letting her go was inherently wrong. It was the same sense of fear that overwhelmed him when she'd been shot. He couldn't lose her. All the time they spent together at QC, the Foundry and the loft solidified their bond. Oliver had not only relied on her with his mission, but he had trusted Felicity to see the real him. She'd seen both the good and bad and didn't once turn away.

"We all have a great capacity to love," Diggle told him. "But sometimes, there is just that one person we love the most. One person that we'll do anything for."

Oliver hesitated for a second, not sure if he should reveal all of the details of that night. Diggle was the only other person that Oliver admired and trusted completely. If he didn't tell Dig, then who would he tell? Oliver couldn't keep his emotions bottled up like he would normally do. If anyone would understand, it would be Diggle. "Felicity told me she loved me that night," Oliver finally said.

Diggle didn't seem surprised at the admission. "What did you say?"

"I didn't directly say it back."

"What's holding you back?" Diggle inquired. "And don't say it's the mission. We've all been working together for months now, and it's the best progress we've ever made. Felicity's become a vital member of the team."

"That's just it. Yes, we need her, Dig. I need her. But that doesn't mean I have the right to take what she's offering. She may feel differently after we put Cooper away. You heard her when she first came to us. After Cooper and Merlyn were caught, Felicity wanted to have a normal life as an IT girl. The life she never got to have because some other dangerous, selfish jerk forced her into it. She will never have a normal life with me, John," Oliver declared, finally admitting all of his worst fears. "Felicity says she wants to be with me now, but how can either of us know that's the right decision when so much is hanging over our heads?"

"It's called 'falling' in love for a reason. Loving Felicity and allowing her to be a part of your life doesn't make you selfish, Oliver. It's not wrong to let yourself be happy." Diggle stated honestly, "Will things work out between you and Felicity? I don't know. But what I do know is you owe it to yourself and to her to try. Oliver, you may be effective in protecting the ones you love but the way you do it sometimes isn't always what they need. You can't dictate other people's choices. It sounds like Felicity isn't asking for 'normal.' All she's asking for is you."

Getting to the crux of the matter, Diggle asked, "Oliver, what are you really afraid of?"

"What if I can't be what she needs?" Oliver quietly replied, finally voicing the root of his fear. "Diggle, you know some of what I've been through on the island. The choices I had to make...they stay with me. I've told Felicity as much. What if I'm just too damaged and end up hurting her?"

Diggle was quiet for a moment. Then: "You know, Oliver, I'm no expert at this but I don't think love is about changing or saving a person. I think it's about finding the person who's already the right fit. Things don't always work out exactly the way we plan. The Oliver I knew a year ago, he wouldn't have been able to open up and take a risk with his heart."

"And now?" Oliver prodded.

"Now...I think you already know exactly what you want. The question is, will you let yourself have it?"

Oliver stared at his clenched hands and nodded. Once again, Diggle had saved him from himself. "Thanks, Dig."

"Any time."

Oliver's phone vibrated, and he pulled it out of his pocket. "It's Felicity. She finally decrypted the message in the phone."

"I'm not surprised. She is a genius, after all." Diggle patted his friend's shoulder. "You chose well, Oliver." It was Diggle's way of letting Oliver know that he was okay with Felicity remaining a part of the team should she and Oliver decide to move forward. It meant a lot to Oliver to have Diggle's official seal of approval.

They left the office and made their way downstairs. "What did you find?" he asked.

Felicity's face looked a little paler than usual. She answered, "Brother Eye."

Diggle looked to Oliver, mirroring his shock. "What?"

After pulling up the message, Felicity pushed play. It was the same image of a fiery eye with a slit pupil. "There's no voiceover, which didn't make sense because the file was so big. So I scrubbed it layer by layer," she explained. "I found a series of symbols and words embedded into the image.

When Oliver saw them for himself, he nearly gasped. The words and pictures were all related to The Arrow. "What does it mean?"

"I think it's a form of visual subliminal messaging. There is a psychologist, Dr. Houston, who's been doing research on this topic for years. I found some of his research posted online, which included a way to decode certain types of hidden messaging." Felicity paused before continuing, "When I decoded this message, it roughly translated to a kill order. Ronsen was instructed to hunt down and kill The Arrow. Until the task was complete, he had to kill at least one person every few nights or so with a criminal background. I suspect this was done to draw you out."

"This doesn't make any sense," Diggle spoke up. "How does this tie in to Cooper? I thought you said Brother Eye only took money from the rich. He shouldn't know about Ronsen or the performance enhancers."

"Cooper was always a little suspicious of me, so he didn't tell me everything. I don't think he actually found out about the performance enhancers by hacking into QC's network himself. He would need me to breach that kind of complex system, and he never mentioned it to me." Felicity explained further, "However, when we lived in Central City all those months, Cooper did have an interest in S.T.A.R. Labs. It's a research facility where the best minds in the country work on the most cutting-edge science and technology."

"Our Applied Sciences division has worked with them a few times on certain projects," Oliver said. "We have a contract with them."

"Dr. Houston lives in Central City and has been conducting his psychological research there on superimposing visual subliminal messaging for the last several years." Felicity shook her head. "What a mouthful. Try saying that five times fast..."

"Felicity," Oliver muttered, getting her back on track.

"Right. Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if Cooper spent his free time trying to access S.T.A.R. Labs. He did occasionally talk about taking Brother Eye to the 'next level,' but never exactly said what that was when I pushed him. He could've found Dr. Houston's research and decided to apply it to the Brother Eye messaging."

"But we still don't know how the performance enhancers and Ronsen come into play."

"I'll have to do more digging, but something caught my eye in Ray's investigative notes he sent over. The researchers were trying to find a way to curb the aggressive side effects and make the subjects follow orders."

Catching on to her line of thought, Oliver said, "You think they were considering some type of brainwashing based on Dr. Houston's research."

"Like you said, Unidac belonged to QC and QC works with S.T.A.R. Labs. Dr. Houston could've had research that referenced the experiment, which Cooper found."

"Which he's now using to target The Arrow," Diggle surmised.

"Cooper wouldn't stand a chance against you directly," Felicity pointed out to Oliver. "He knows that, and so he had to find another way. It also explains him seeking out The Count to get to The Cook. He would need someone who's got experience working with these substances. That's my theory for now, at least."

"So one subliminal message and Ronsen's an assassin?" Oliver questioned while leaning on the table. "I thought that type of psychological brainwashing took time."

"According to Dr. Houston, it does. Maybe The Cook fudged with the recipe. I don't know. But there is an upside to all of this," Felicity declared. "I was able to trace the origin of the message on Ronsen's phone, and I have a location."

"Where?" Oliver eagerly asked.

"10245 Wharf."

Oliver was already walking toward his suit and bow. He'd been waiting for months for this break. He wasn't going to let it go to waste. Cooper's time was up.

"Explains why you weren't able to locate Cooper for a while. Not many cameras down by the docks," Diggle commented. "It's the primary spot for the Triad to smuggle in their drug shipments and a whole bunch of other illegal activities."

Felicity nervously glanced toward Oliver's retreating form. "So it's dangerous."

Diggle placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Felicity. He's not going in alone."

* * *

The area near the docks was as dark and desolate as ever. With Oliver in the lead, he and Diggle made their way through the different warehouses until they found the correct address that Felicity had given them. It had rained earlier, so the ground was damp. Oliver treaded carefully in an effort to avoid any puddles that might make splashing noises. He wanted to keep the element of surprise for as long as possible.

"Ugh, this damn thing is itchy," Diggle quietly grumbled behind him. He was fidgeting with his ski mask. Diggle wasn't a big fan of costumes or masks. Usually, he could get away with not wearing anything but in certain circumstances, like tonight, showing his face out in the open was too dangerous. If Cooper was keeping tabs on Felicity, then he might recognize Diggle as Oliver's and, occasionally, Felicity's bodyguard.

"We'll make this quick," Oliver replied. Felicity was right that Cooper wouldn't stand a chance against Oliver in a straight fight. It probably wouldn't take much to subdue him. Also, Oliver really wanted to nab this guy once and for all.

Oliver slid the heavy, metal warehouse door open and peered inside. The only light came from the streetlamp outside and a few dirty windows. Oliver walked forward cautiously, on his guard. Diggle, with his gun raised, followed closely behind. The inside was huge and mostly empty except for a few work tables. A couple of computers were set up and seemed to be running some type of program.

"The room is clear," Diggle confirmed after taking a look around. "This must be where's he's been hiding out. There's a cot in the corner. Some takeout cartons and old newspapers, too."

Recognizing the unease in Diggle's voice, Oliver inquired, "What else?"

"The clippings all feature you and Felicity."

Oliver, suppressing the red hot fury coursing through him at this new information, activated his comm. "Felicity, this is the right place. Cooper isn't here, but I found his workstation."

" _I'm picking up the signal_ ," she responded. " _It's got a pretty strong firewall. Put the bug on the computer. It should help me break through it faster."_

Oliver did as instructed and waited for her confirmation that she'd gotten in. Whatever numbers and symbols were flying across the screen looked like gibberish to him.

" _Okay, I'm in. Let's see what else you've been hiding, Coop...uh oh_ ," Felicity muttered seconds later.

That was never a good sign. "What's the matter?"

Diggle's head snapped up at the metal door slamming shut. A device next to the top of the door blinked red. He raised his gun once more and scanned the room. "I think we got trouble."

" _The security protocol has been activated remotely. Oliver, you and Dig need to get out of there right now. It's a trap!_ " Felicity warned, her voice firm but slightly panicked.

The workstation up against the farthest wall suddenly lit up. There was a big glass cylinder filled a quarter of the way with liquid. Three smaller cylinders filled with green liquid on one side and black on the other started pouring into the larger one. Above it was a tiny flame. It looked like something that would be in Frankenstein's lab. Oliver cursed when he realized that it was essentially a ticking time bomb.

"The door is locked," Diggle called to him. He'd been trying to wrench it open with no success.

"Stand back," Oliver instructed before shooting an explosive arrow. It barely put a dent in the metal. The door was too thick. He quickly discounted the windows as a viable escape when he saw the bars on them. "Felicity, there's an explosive device. We need you to override the system and get the door open. We don't have much time."

" _On it_."

The liquid was getting higher in the cylinder. "Felicity," Oliver stressed. He was trying to keep a level head as his adrenaline spiked. Felicity would save them. He trusted her.

" _I know. I'm working on it_ ," she bit back in frustration. It wasn't so much directed at him as it was with herself.

"Oliver, it's almost full," Diggle informed him.

"Felicity," Oliver repeated, his voice taking on a rough edge.

" _I got it!_ " Felicity exclaimed.

Oliver heard the door unlocking. Immediately, he and Diggle grabbed for it. He was vaguely aware of the liquid hitting the flame behind them. They shoved the door aside and sprinted forward. There was an intense wave of heat as the flames licked their backs. Oliver and Diggle grunted as they hit the ground outside. A small flame caught on Diggle's sleeve. He rolled into a nearby puddle to put it out.

" _Oliver, are you guys okay?_ " Felicity rushed out. " _Oliver?_ "

It took a moment for him to catch his breath before replying, "It's okay. We're okay."

" _Oh, thank God_."

"We're on our way back now."

* * *

As soon as Felicity heard the footsteps on the Foundry stairs, she was out of her seat. Oliver had barely made it off the last step before Felicity had launched into his arms. She knew she probably shouldn't be so forward since they'd agreed to keep things professional in the Foundry, but she couldn't help it. The knowledge that he'd nearly been killed and the relief of his escape were too great.

"Are you okay?" she asked despite his earlier assurances. Without letting him go completely, Felicity drew back to look him over.

"I'm fine," Oliver said and gave her a little squeeze.

Felicity looked to Diggle and frowned at his burned sleeve. "John?"

"Slightly toasted but otherwise okay. Could've been a lot worse if you hadn't managed to get that door open."

"I don't know how he knew," Felicity said, removing herself from Oliver's hold. "When I hacked the phone and traced the message, there was no indication of another entity shadowing my movements." She'd even rechecked her work to be sure and found nothing out of the ordinary.

"It wasn't you, Felicity," Oliver reassured her.

"Ronsen's arrest was all over the news," Diggle explained. "Cooper probably figured he'd been compromised and that it was only a matter of time before he was found. He was expecting it."

"I'm just glad you're both okay." Felicity returned to her seat to pick up where she'd left off. The remote shadow signal that had activated the explosive was subtle but not untraceable. It would take some time, but Felicity would eventually be able to scoop up the breadcrumbs.

"What are you doing?"

"He slipped through our fingers again. That's strike two."

"No one's keeping score, Felicity."

" _He_ is." Felicity knew Cooper all too well. This game of cat and mouse must be doing wonders for his ego. "I'm supposed to be smarter than him, but he's always a step ahead of me."

Oliver came to stand beside her. "Felicity, you are brilliant. You're the one who figured out the connection between Ronsen, S.T.A.R. Labs and Dr. Houston. You found Cooper's hideout, and he probably would've been there if the media hadn't given him a heads up. Cooper's bound to slip up and when he does, we'll catch him. It's just a matter of time."

Felicity kept typing away. "Oliver, I appreciate the pep talk but I have a lot of work to do."

"Okay," he replied, knowing not to push the issue any further. He could sense that Felicity needed some time to work through her frustration. If that meant leaving her alone in the Foundry to do what she did best, then so be it. "The night is still young. I'll do a patrol. Lots of illegal activity on a Saturday night."

Oliver was about to turn away when he paused, watching her. Felicity's brow was furrowed in determination as she bit her lip. Most of her day had been spent in that exact spot. She often worried about his well-being, and now it was his turn. He wondered how long it'd been since she'd taken a break or last eaten. His instinct to take care of her was overwhelming.

"Felicity, how about we grab some dinner when I get back?"

"I'm not hungry," she automatically answered.

"How about tomorrow night?"

Totally focused on the task in front of her, Felicity absently replied, "What?"

"Tomorrow's Sunday. Sundays are always slow. Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" Oliver felt uncharacteristically nervous. This offer wasn't coming out at all like he intended. He didn't even know when it had shifted from simply feeding her to suddenly asking her out on a date. As it often was with Felicity, Oliver wasn't leading with his head. He was leading with his heart.

"I'm being serious here, Oliver."

"So am I." Something in his voice must've alerted her to his intentions, because Felicity abruptly stopped typing and actually looked at him.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Felicity blurted out and then quickly looked to see if Diggle had heard. He was nowhere in sight. He must've quietly left when they'd been talking before. Realizing that they could talk openly, Felicity babbled, "I don't want to read too much into this, but are you asking me out on a date? Like an actual date? Like a _date_ date?"

"Sure-I mean, the implication with dinner being that-" Oliver stuttered and suddenly stopped.

Felicity stared at him in amazement, trying not to overreact. Oliver-I'm-Always-In-Control-Queen actually seemed nervous. It was both unnerving and completely adorable. "Usually I'm the one talking in sentence fragments."

Oliver smiled and let out a low, nervous breath. There was no turning back now. He was officially asking her out on a date. Oliver had to get this right. "Felicity," he said in a steady voice and meeting her eyes, "would you like to go to dinner with me?"

There was no choice to make as Felicity excitedly beamed back at him. "Yes."


	23. Chapter 23

**I don't know about you guys, but I'm still battling my emotions after last night's episode! It's tough when you really feel bad for Oliver while also cheering on Felicity for walking (literally!) away. This next chapter came just in time, I think. Lots of Olicity for you guys. Please read and review. Thanks!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

It took a concerted effort for Felicity to keep her hand steady as she applied the bright pink lipstick to her lips. She'd started getting ready for her date with Oliver two hours ago and still felt like she wasn't nearly finished. It was ridiculous the more she thought about it. This wouldn't be the first time she'd had to get all dolled up to go out with Oliver. It also wouldn't be the first dinner that they'd shared. And yet, Felicity felt as if this was all happening for the first time.

Truthfully, tonight would mark another first for them. It had been a little over a week since the night they'd finally acknowledged that their feelings ran deeper than an evolving partnership and friendship. Felicity and Oliver had agreed to take things slow and not make any decisions. Though that was still true, Oliver officially asking her out on a date was a significant step. It meant they were continuing to move forward. It was both exciting and utterly nerve-racking.

Felicity rechecked her makeup and ran a hand through her wavy hair. After leaving the bathroom, she went into the bedroom to put on her dress. She'd kept her bathrobe on while she got ready. With her jittery hands, she'd probably have dropped the mascara on her dress and stained it. More difficult than picking out the actual dress was choosing what to wear under it. Felicity had never considered herself the type of girl to sleep with a guy on the first date-not that she was sure _that_ would happen tonight. Her experience was somewhat limited. She'd only ever been with Cooper, and any other relationship she'd tried to have since then had been a bust. Her secret life in Brother Eye practically made it impossible for Felicity to get close enough to a guy to feel comfortable taking that next step.

With Oliver, it was different. From the start, nothing had been what she'd expected. It was all in a good way, of course. The night she'd reached out to him was supposed to be a one-time thing. Felicity would've been free of Cooper and finally been able to start living again. Cooper getting away definitely hadn't been the plan but in a strange way, she was thankful that it had happened.

Otherwise, Felicity never would've had a reason to stay with Oliver and get to know him. She wouldn't have been part of his team with Diggle and actually used her skills to do some real good in this world. Most importantly, she never would've known that it was possible to open her heart to someone again. Her father leaving and Cooper's betrayal had hurt Felicity deeply. Oliver, who was no stranger to hardship, knew what it was like and dedicated his life to helping others because of it-Felicity being one of them.

Felicity knew the exact moment she'd truly started to trust Oliver. Allowing her to stay at the loft to ensure her safety and covering for her with Detective Lance had started to crack the wall around her heart. But it was the moment Oliver looked her in the eye and told her that she had a choice to join him that encouraged her to take that leap of faith. Oliver didn't try to hide the fact that what he did was dangerous. He wanted her to know exactly what she'd be getting into. Then, he'd made a promise to protect her from both their enemies no matter what. The sincerity in his eyes had made her heart flutter in her chest and, for the first time in five years, Felicity didn't feel so alone.

Searching through her garments, Felicity decided that black lace could never be a wrong choice. She put on her sleeveless pink dress, heels and jewelry afterward. With one last look in the mirror, she decided that she was as ready as she'd ever be. Felicity grabbed her purse and left her bedroom. Oliver was already in the living room. He immediately stood at her presence, his eyes following her all the way down the stairs.

"Hi," she said, smiling shyly, once he was standing in front of her.

"Hi," he repeated, unable to take his eyes off of her.

The awkwardness was almost comical considering that they'd seen each other and talked only hours before. Not to mention all the weeks they'd been living and working together. They paused for a moment before coming to their senses and hugging.

"What?" Felicity asked, pulling back, when Oliver let out a low chuckle.

With their hands still touching, Oliver replied, "Nothing. I'm just..."

"Nervous," Felicity supplied.

"Yeah."

She nodded in understanding. "Line forms behind me."

"You look beautiful."

"You, too," she replied automatically and immediately blushed. "Sorry, I meant handsome." Whether Oliver was in a suit or a hood, he always managed to look good. The suit he wore tonight was a light gray. It highlighted the vivid blue of his eyes.

Grinning, Oliver said, "Should we go? I made our reservation for seven o'clock."

"Yes. I'm ready."

He offered her his arm before ushering her out of the apartment. As they passed through the lobby, Oliver noticed the appreciative stares Felicity was getting from the male staff and other residents. He tried not to let it irk him. Felicity was beautiful; it was only natural that other men would notice.

"Good evening, Mr. Queen, Miss Smoak," Diggle greeted, playing his part. While Brad stood off to the side with a straight face, the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Diggle's mouth. As much as Oliver would've liked for it to be just him and Felicity tonight, they couldn't not take precautions. The newspaper clippings they'd seen in Cooper's hideout was proof enough that safety needed to take precedent over privacy.

Oliver allowed Felicity to get in first before sliding next to her. Diggle and Brad took their seats in the front of the town car. The limo would've allowed them more privacy, but it also was too conspicuous. When they weren't attending some fancy event, they liked to keep a low profile.

"So where are we going?" Felicity whispered. She felt awkward talking in a normal voice when they had an audience. The instinct to hide the true nature of their relationship was still strong but, according to Oliver, Diggle had already known what was going on. Felicity wasn't that surprised. Nothing got by Diggle.

"There's this little Italian restaurant I've heard is great. I figure everyone loves Italian, and I know your obsession with pasta."

"It's true. You can never have enough pasta," Felicity agreed. "Or cheese."

Looking between Diggle and Brad, Oliver couldn't help feeling like a teenager again-he and Felicity sitting in the back, whispering and sharing flirty glances, while the adults sat up front supervising. One of the best aspects of being with Felicity was that, despite her tendency to babble, they could have moments when words weren't needed at all. Considering the circumstances, Oliver was fine with the silence that followed. He took Felicity's hand in his, maintaining their connection until they could get to the restaurant and talk more freely.

They arrived minutes later. Brad stayed with the car while Diggle accompanied them inside. He took a seat in the waiting area-where he would stay-while Oliver and Felicity checked in with the host. "Queen, party of two," Oliver said to him.

"Welcome, Mr. Queen. We've got your table all ready for you," the man informed him. "Follow me, please."

"Wow, that's the shortest wait I've ever had," Felicity mumbled.

Oliver placed his hand on her lower back as they walked to their table. It was in the center of the room, as he'd requested. Normally, Oliver would try to get a seat by the window but it was too dangerous with Cooper roaming around.

"Enjoy," the man said and handed them their menus.

"You didn't happen to learn Italian during the five years that you were away, did you?" Felicity questioned as she reviewed the menu, which was written in Italian.

"Only Chinese and Russian. Sorry."

Their waiter approached. "Can I get you something to drink to start off with?"

"I'll have a scotch. Neat."

"Just a water for me thanks."

Oliver halted the waiter before he had a chance to leave. He said to Felicity, "Are you sure? Because the booze sort of might help with the whole-"

"It's probably not going to mix well with the three Benzos I took," Felicity interrupted. She refused to let her nerves get the better of her tonight.

Once the waiter left, Oliver laughed. "Am I being crazy? I mean, what do we have to be nervous about?"

"Well, we've already eaten plenty of meals together. Not to mention we've exhausted every topic one would normally talk about on a first date and a second date and a third date and I've already seen you shirtless." She paused and bit her lip in an effort not to blush. "Multiple times. Shirtless all the time..."

The waiter brought their drinks and said he'd give them a few more minutes to look at the menu. Felicity quickly grabbed her water and took a sip. She needed to calm down and stop babbling.

Oliver picked up his menu and said casually, "There are quite a few things you still don't know about me."

"Such as?"

"I eat really spicy foods when I'm upset. Up until the island, I used to drink soda with almost every meal I could because my mom was always on a health food kick and wouldn't let us have it. On very rare occasions when we were kids, I would play with Thea and let her make me over like one of her dolls-makeup and all," Oliver listed off. "And I have a serious fear of ladybugs."

Felicity almost spit out her water at that last bit. "Um, what?" she giggled. "How can you of all people be afraid of an insect? One of the least disgusting insects, might I add."

"You know how there are certain times of the year when ladybugs start to breed and just seem to be everywhere?" Felicity nodded and he continued, "Well, I left my bedroom window open once when I was five. A ton of ladybugs got in, and they were crawling and flying everywhere. I was so freaked out that they would land on me in the middle of the night and crawl in my mouth and ears that I ended up sleeping in my parents' room that night. It wasn't until the maids came the next day and got rid of them all that I even dared to step back in my room. I've hated them ever since."

"Wow," Felicity murmured, smiling. "Criminals and psychopaths? Totally fine. Ladybugs? Call the exterminator. How exactly did you survive out in the wilderness for five years? Were there ladybugs on Lian Yu?"

Oliver cracked a smile of his own. "Thankfully, no. Then it really would've been hell."

Felicity watched him for a moment longer. It was very rare that Oliver talked about his time on the island and even rarer that he could make a joke about it. She opened her mouth to say something when their waiter interrupted. They gave him their orders before turning back to each other.

"What about you?" Oliver questioned. "Anything else I should know?"

"'Um..." Felicity wracked her brain for some things to share with Oliver. "I hate heights, as you know. I refuse to wear sneakers unless it's absolutely necessary. I once got into a fight with a girl in my class whose idea of getting a computer to load faster was to bang it on the side with her shoe. And when my dad was around, I would occasionally steal his electronics collection to build a super computer."

"You got into a fight?" Oliver replied, surprised. "How old were you?"

"I was seven. It actually wasn't long after my dad left," Felicity added. She didn't know why she'd even brought up the topic of her father, but she could feel a nervous babble coming on. "I'm not sure you can even really call it a fight. Not only was Angie Pinkerton the most popular girl in school, but she totally kicked my butt. My mom was so mad when she found out I'd broken my glasses. They weren't cheap and for a while I had to wear them taped together until she could afford to buy me new ones. As you can imagine, that really added to my social status."

Curious, Oliver inquired, "Why were you so upset about Angie and the computer?"

Felicity shrugged as she drew patterns on the tablecloth with her finger. It gave her something to focus on as she relived the painful memory. "It might've been a piece of stupid, old equipment to her, but it meant so much more to me. I had a really hard time relating to kids my age. I was always five steps ahead of everyone else, and there wasn't really a program for gifted kids at my school. Everyone thought I was a nerd, and so I didn't have many friends." She glanced up at Oliver briefly before she drew another set of invisible objects. "I spent a lot of time with my dad, and he showed me how to take apart my first computer and put it back together. He was the only other person who understood what computers meant to me, and he never made me feel ashamed. In fact, he encouraged me to keep learning and experimenting. He always said knowledge is power.

"Then he left. To this day, my mom won't tell me what happened. All I knew back then was that my family was broken, and the one person who could fix anything had abandoned us. My only way of coping was to keep fixing anything and everything I could get my hands on. So when I saw Angie trashing that computer, which still had a possibility of being fixed, it sort of felt like she was attacking my best friend in a way."

Felicity's hand stilled at Oliver's gentle touch. He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. "Have you always felt like that?"

"No. It got better when I was at MIT. It was hard being younger than almost everyone else, but it was the one place where I didn't have to hide who I was. People admired my intelligence and my abilities. It really was freeing. But then everything with Cooper happened and...I sort of fell back into old habits. Suddenly, I was back to depending on my computer because I couldn't trust anyone else. In a way, it was good. It kept me focused on getting away from him." Felicity finally met his eyes. "And it led me to you."

"I'm glad it did," Oliver said meaningfully. "I know a little bit about not trusting people."

"I sort of got that impression when you revealed that you weren't alone on the island."

"I know I've only told you a little bit about my time away."

"If by a little you mean hardly anything," Felicity said gently. Not wanting to make him to feel like she was pressuring him, Felicity added, "It's okay, Oliver. I understand why you don't want to talk about it."

"I don't want to, but I need to," Oliver stated, taking a breath to center himself. Usually he could bury his emotions, but with Felicity it was almost impossible. Because she was so attentive and patient, willing to take whatever he was ready to offer, it made him want to open up that much more. "During those five years that I was away, I wasn't always on Lian Yu."

"Where were you?" she tentatively asked.

"Hong Kong, for one. And Russia."

"That explains the Bratva connection."

"It doesn't matter how long I've been home. Every day I'm reminded of the people I met and the choices I had to make."

Sensing his anguish, Felicity rubbed her thumb soothingly across his knuckles. "It sounds like those years were filled with a whole lot of suck."

Oliver looked away from her for a moment and brushed his hand across his mouth. The wave of raw emotion that hit him was unexpected. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little out of my element." He cleared his throat quietly and looked at her. "The entire time I was gone, I could never completely trust someone. And when that goes on for so long, you stop seeing people for people. You see threats or targets. And when I decided to come home, I just didn't know how to turn that part of me off. It doesn't matter how long I've been home. I'm always on my guard. Even with Diggle, it took me some time to assess whether I should tell him my secret."

"Why did you decide to trust me?" Felicity inquired. "I was a total stranger and technically a criminal. Wasn't I a threat?"

"You probably would've been if our first meeting had been that night that Brother Eye attacked. But it wasn't. You turned around and spilled your wine on me and just started babbling. I could tell that you were nervous and flustered-"

"Don't forget mortified," Felicity mumbled.

"So staining my suit wasn't actually part of the plan?" Oliver had wondered about that but never had the nerve to actually ask Felicity.

" _No_ ," she emphasized. "The wine was supposed to help me work up the courage to talk to you. I'll admit that you were kind of intimidating with all of those seemingly important people surrounding you. Plus, Carrie was glued to your side. I thought she might've been your date, which really would've made it hard to get your attention."

Oliver smiled and went on, "Well, it all worked out. You seemed so naturally... _human_ in that moment we met. You were the first person I could see as a person, and I hadn't had that in a long time. Even when I learned the truth, there was just something about you that made it impossible for me to let you go."

A shy smile formed on her face. "It's ironic. The reason I went to Verdant that night was so that you would give me a chance when the time came."

"It also helped that you were the most stunning woman there that night," he teased.

There was no hiding her blush this time. Felicity felt her face get hot at the compliment and nodded, not trusting her voice.

Oliver, tightening his grip on her hand, revealed, "I was going to ask you out before we were interrupted."

"So I wasn't imagining that."

"Nope," he confirmed before asking, "Would you have said yes?"

"Probably not, but I would've wanted to," she declared. "I came to Starling so focused on escaping Brother Eye that I didn't anticipate being so drawn to you. I'm not sure I was ready then. But I am now."

"I know what you mean."

Just then, the waiter arrived with their food. Their dishes looked and smelled delicious. As they began to eat, they settled into lighter conversation-a nice reprieve from the heavier topics they'd tackled early on.

"How's your lasagna?" Oliver questioned.

"Oh my God, it's amazing. You were so right about this place. Want to try some?" She offered him her plate. Oliver took a bite and let her try some of his veal Parmesan in return.

"I figured it's about time someone else made you dinner. I'm not exactly sure I'd be great in the kitchen."

"I've seen you toast a bagel like nobody's business," Felicity teased.

"Yes, I'm just like Emeril Lagasse. Is Emeril still popular?"

"Huh, I don't know," Felicity mused.

"I think that's answer enough. But yes, I'm skilled. I can toast bagels and make the occasional omelet."

"That's it?"

"I can also hunt and roast woodland creatures, but I don't think you'd be interested in eating them." At her frown, Oliver elaborated, "The island had a limited menu."

Felicity was already shaking her head. "I don't think I could eat a chipmunk."

They continued to talk and joke as they finished their meals. Felicity had almost gotten through dinner unscathed when her last bite resulted in getting a bit of sauce on her dress. It was typical. No matter how ladylike she tried to be when eating, somehow she ended up making a mess anyway. Stains-wine, blood, food-seemed to be a constant occurrence when it came to their relationship. Felicity excused herself to go to the ladies room while Oliver promised to peruse the dessert menu.

It was a small bathroom with only a couple of stalls. Thankfully, it was empty. Felicity grabbed a paper towel and wet it with soap and water. Catching the stain quickly was the key. Luckily, the sauce came right out. The only downside was the wet spot now on her chest. It made her look like she'd lactated, Felicity thought glumly. She'd give it a minute to dry before going back out. Fixing her hair and reapplying her lipstick, Felicity vaguely heard the door open behind her. She moved more toward the sink to let whoever had come in have more room to get to the stalls. Felicity heard the door lock and looked up to see the other reflection in the mirror. Her entire body froze.

"Cooper," Felicity breathed. He didn't look much different from the last time she'd seen him. Cooper's skin was still pale and his hair, though slightly longer, was slicked back. He wore all black, which almost concealed the gun in his hand hanging by his side.

"Hello, Felicity."

"How did you get in here?" she demanded, looking toward the door and expecting either Oliver or Diggle to come barreling in. They'd been annoyingly over-cautious all these months. There was no way Cooper would've been able to get by them on his own. Suddenly, she was filled with panic. Did Cooper do something to them?

"You mean how did I dodge your vigilante boyfriend and his brute of a bodyguard?

"What?" There was a loud crash outside. Felicity heard shouting and felt her blood run cold. Something was happening, and her first thought was of Oliver.

"Don't play dumb with me," Cooper snapped, recapturing her attention. "The Arrow attacks us and then not long after you're suddenly living with Oliver Queen. The more I thought about it, the more it all fell into place. He's the reason you wanted to target Queen Consolidated so badly. I had my suspicions afterward, but I still didn't want to believe it. Then I heard about him saving you at the charity event, and I couldn't deny it anymore. Myron was right. You were setting us up. You betrayed us. You betrayed _me._ "

"You're far from being the victim, Cooper," Felicity angrily retorted. "You betrayed me the day you blackmailed me into being a part of Brother Eye. You betrayed me every day since then when you forced me to use my abilities to steal."

"You created the virus that made it possible."

"I didn't intend for it to be used like that!"

"And now you're dating a murderer," Cooper spit out. "Obviously, your taste in men is only getting worse."

"Oliver is not a murderer," she defended. "He's trying to save this city and the people in it. He's a hero."

"He's a basket case in a costume. No one would fear The Arrow if they knew he was really some spoiled trust-fund brat," he countered. "They would lock him up in the psych ward next to The Count."

"Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black, don't you think? You're the one who murdered him."

"I didn't kill The Count."

Felicity persisted, "But you had someone else do it. Can't say I'm surprised by that. You always were a spineless coward, using other people to do your dirty work-me included."

Cooper quickly closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the neck. His grip was constricting but not so much so that she couldn't breathe. He wanted to scare her and, unfortunately, it was working. "My associate is very thorough."

"Who is it?"

"That I can't tell you. Not yet, at least."

"Just tell me what you want, Cooper," Felicity ordered as another loud crash sounded from the main part of the restaurant. "Why did you come here? Why now after all of these months?"

The fury she'd seen in his stare moments before lessened as his eyes roamed her face. They eventually settled on her lips. Felicity tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but it was no use. His voice became very soft-tender even. "Because I needed to see you. I loved you, Felicity. I knew you wanted more out of life than just Brother Eye. With the plans I had in place, I would've been able to give you everything you ever wanted. We could've been happy."

"All I ever wanted was my freedom," Felicity replied. "And I have that now-with Oliver."

Her words jarred Cooper out of his trance and his gaze hardened. "All this time I've wondered how long were you sneaking around with him behind my back."

"I never belonged to you, despite your delusions. But that night I went to Verdant was the first time we met. He didn't know that I knew the truth."

"So how exactly did you get him to come after us?"

"I asked for his help, and he took a chance on me. He had every right to refuse me, but he didn't. Because that's the kind of honorable man he is," Felicity said, not without a hint of pride.

"Well look at that...you're actually in love with him," Cooper scoffed, his petulance doing little to mask his jealousy. "So that's how he deluded you into his crusade."

Felicity firmly declared, "He gave me an honest choice, unlike you. I'm his partner, not his property."

"He really does have you wrapped around his finger," Cooper sneered. "It's going to make destroying him all the more satisfying."

Her confidence wavered at his threat. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm not going to reveal his secret, if that's what you're thinking in that pretty little head of yours. That'd be too easy. I'm going to make him suffer, which includes burning his precious city to the ground."

Felicity struggled against him once more. "And me?"

"It's obvious the best way to hurt you is through him. I'm going to break your heart just like you did mine, and I'm going to enjoy every second of it," he said, reveling in her anguish.

"Over my dead body."

"You see, that's the idea," Cooper said and raised the gun to her head.

Felicity inhaled sharply, choking back the unshed tears threatening to spill. She was terrified by the feeling of the cold, hard barrel against her skin. It took every last ounce of strength to hold herself together, not wanting to give Cooper the satisfaction of seeing her fall apart. Despite what he thought, she wasn't the same girl he'd known three months ago. She'd grown a lot since then.

"By the way, Petrov sends his regards." Before his comment could fully register in her mind, Cooper lowered the gun and slammed his mouth on hers.

Felicity's shrieks of protest were muffled by his rough, demanding lips. Pushing at him wasn't getting her anywhere, so she decided to put some of her newfound training to good use. Raising her right leg, she managed to jam her heel into the side of his knee. As intended, it was both painful and threw Cooper off balance. He pulled away with a yelp but not fast enough to avoid her hand connecting with his face, leaving behind scratch marks.

Cooper raised his hand to his cheek and stared in shock at the blood on his fingers.

Felicity couldn't help but smirk. "By the way, my partner taught me that."

The resentment in his eyes looked like it was about to boil over, but the loud commotion outside caught his attention. Glancing back at Felicity, Cooper said menacingly, "See you soon, babe."

Then he was gone.

* * *

Oliver watched as Felicity made her way to the back of the restaurant. Through the archway was a separate hall that led to the kitchen and restrooms. Despite her annoyance at getting sauce on her dress, she moved with grace and elegance. It seemed that their nerves from earlier had finally settled. By the time their meals arrived, they were much more at ease with each other. Oliver suspected that would last until it was time to leave. Normally, he'd drop his date off at her home. Maybe they'd kiss or, depending on the woman, she'd invite him inside. Oliver had always been up for anything.

For the first time in a long time, Oliver didn't know what to expect. Felicity was different from the other women he'd dated. Not only because she was already living with him, but because she already meant so much to him. Their physical attraction had always been beneath the surface, but it in no way overpowered Oliver's deep respect for Felicity. He didn't want to push her or make Felicity think that all he wanted was to get her in bed-which would've probably been his initial intent had it been six years earlier. Of course Oliver desired her-he was human, after all-but what he really wanted was for this night to be worthy of her. Whether that meant a simple kiss at the end of the night or possibly more, he'd let Felicity decide.

But that uncertainty could be left for later. They still had to get through dessert. Oliver perused the menu, focusing on anything that was made mostly of chocolate. Felicity had somewhat of a sweet tooth. It was while trying to decided between the chocolate layer cake and brownie gelato sundae that Oliver noticed strange movement in his peripheral vision. Seconds later the front window of the restaurant shattered as Brad came flying through the glass. Oliver was on his feet instantly and already looking to Diggle. The rest of the customers looked on in a mixture of shock and alarm.

His partner rushed forward and bent down to touch his fingers to Brad's neck. "He's knocked out." Looking to the window, they both noticed the tall, bulging man walking forward. He jumped through the opening and stared at them menacingly.

There was only one reason why he could be here. "Felicity," Oliver breathed, the panic suddenly flooding him.

"Go. I'll handle him," Diggle said.

Oliver tried to rush toward the back of the restaurant when a waiter, another huge man, intercepted his path. Oliver was about to push him out of the way without a second thought when the waiter's hands shot out and shoved him back. The force of the impact was much more intense than Oliver anticipated, and he went flying back into another table. People started screaming and running toward the exit as Diggle attempted to fight off the other attacker.

"Oliver, you okay?" Diggle shouted to him.

Oliver recovered quickly and got into his fighting stance. "I'm fine," he called back, never taking his eyes off of the threat. The waiter-turned-attacker was currently blocking Oliver's way to Felicity, and he was not having that at all. Most of the restaurant had cleared out, so there was no one around to question why Oliver Queen would even attempt to fight someone so dangerous. The waiter advanced on him and attempted to throw a punch. Oliver quickly dodged him and landed a punch of his own. It did little to stop the other man. His foe's freakish strength and channeled aggression immediately reminded Oliver of Ronsen-though the look in the man's eyes seemed more robotic than filled with genuine rage.

After avoiding a few more blows, Oliver managed to get his arms around the waiter in a headlock. He bent the man back at just the right angle to snap his neck, since clearly his typical knockout punch wouldn't do the trick in stopping him. Unfortunately, snapping the man's neck wasn't an actual option either. With incredible force, the man pushed off of his legs and sent them both flying into a cart of food.

Oliver ended up on the bottom, and seconds later felt strong hands grip his neck. He vaguely heard the sound of a gunshot but couldn't dwell on it much further. Oliver couldn't match the brute strength of his assailant to fend him off and instead settled for grabbing a nearby plate. It was still hot and full of some kind of sauce. Oliver slammed it against the waiter's face and rubbed the broken ceramics into his eyes for good measure. The man howled in pain and loosened his grip enough for Oliver to take a much-needed breath. Another gunshot sounded and the man above him flew to the side. Seconds later, blood was pooling out of the wound in his head. Coughing, Oliver sat up and stared at Diggle. The look they shared was a silent agreement that taking the attackers out was the only viable option, especially when their lives and Felicity's were in danger.

At the thought of Felicity, Oliver sprang up and sprinted to the restrooms. He didn't know whether to be relieved or anxious that the door was unlocked. At least he didn't have to waste time kicking it open. Oliver found Felicity standing by the sink and rushed to her while Diggle checked the stalls.

"Felicity, are you okay?" Oliver demanded, pulling her toward him and checking her over. Aside from the fact that she was shaking, she didn't appear to have any injuries. "Felicity, talk to me."

His strong voice seemed to snap her out of it. Her eyes refocused on him. "I'm okay," she assured him. "He didn't hurt me. Not really." Taking in his messy and disheveled appearance, she asked, "What happened? Are you hurt? I heard-"

"I'm fine," Oliver reassured her and looked to Diggle. His partner nodded that it was all clear. "Who was in here with you, Felicity?" Oliver demanded despite already knowing the answer.

"Cooper. He threatened me-or us, rather. He's planning something horrible, Oliver. He knows you're The Arrow and said he's going to hurt you to spite me. He's going to target the city, and I don't know what he's planning but he..."

"He what?" Oliver pressed.

"He said that Petrov sends his regards."

Oliver frowned and stored that piece of information for later. For right now, his main concern was Felicity. She was still coherent, which was good, but her shaking told him that the shock was setting in. Police sirens and loud voices could be heard from the front of the restaurant.

"Don't worry about that now," Oliver said and placed a comforting hand on her cheek. "All that matters is you're safe." He pulled her completely into his arms and held her tightly. He met Diggle's eyes over the top of her head.

"The police will want a statement," Diggle informed him. "I'll go out front and talk to them while you take a minute."

Oliver silently thanked him. When they were finally alone, he placed a kiss on her head and closed his eyes briefly in relief. Anything could've happened in those few minutes. Felicity could've been seriously hurt or taken. Oliver didn't even want to contemplate the third option. One hand ran along her back while the other gently stroked her hair. The gesture was as much a comfort to him as it was to her. "You're fine, Felicity. You're safe. I've got you."

"Oliver, you're hurt," Felicity mumbled, noticing the red tear in the arm of his suit.

"It's nothing," he dismissed. "What did you mean when you said he didn't really hurt you?"

Felicity looked up at him and was about to answer when they were interrupted by a pair of armed police officers. They were checking the rest of the restaurant for threats and to make sure no one else had been seriously hurt. They ushered Oliver and Felicity back to the front where Diggle was talking with Detective Lance. They caught the tail end of the conversation, in which Diggle admitted to having to shoot the attackers in defense of himself and Oliver.

Felicity gasped softly next to Oliver. At first, he thought it was because of the dead bodies on the ground. Instead, she was watching as Brad was loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled toward the ambulance. He was alive but looked to be in pretty rough shape. There were lots of cuts and bruises on him.

"Is he going to be okay?" Felicity questioned, concerned.

"He'll need some time to heal, but the paramedics don't think his condition is fatal," Detective Lance explained. "Unfortunately, we find ourselves all together at yet another crime scene. Care to tell me what happened this time?"

"It was Cooper," Felicity answered. "I think those men were working for him as a distraction, so he'd have time to talk to me."

At the mention of Cooper's name, Lance's head shot up. He obviously hadn't been expecting that answer. "What did he say to you?"

Glossing over any details about The Arrow and Petrov, Felicity relayed the basics of what Cooper had told her. He was jealous of her relationship with Oliver and out for revenge, with plans to target the city in some way. It helped that Oliver kept her tucked into his side the entire time. His silent strength kept her grounded. A couple of times she felt him tense, especially when she'd mentioned that Cooper had forced himself on her and kissed her. Felicity debated whether or not to reveal that tidbit but felt it added more credibility to the story they'd crafted.

"I don't think he'll be back tonight, but I'll have some of my officers stationed outside your apartment," Lance declared after she was finished. He'd lost some of his harshness from their initial meetings. Even he could seem to sympathize with Felicity's precarious situation.

Oliver didn't argue against police protection this time. With Brad injured, he'd have to find a replacement and reconfigure their security detail. "Thank you, Detective. If we're done here, I'd like to take her home." They couldn't go to the Foundry if they were going to be followed. That would have to wait until tomorrow.

Lance nodded. "I'll be in touch if we need any more information."

Oliver and Felicity followed Diggle to the car. Once they were safely inside and on their way to the loft, Felicity told them what really happened. It was better to tell them when it was fresh in her mind. Felicity knew that she was barely keeping herself together. At some point, the severity of what had happened tonight would fully hit her, and she didn't know how rational she'd be. Both Diggle and Oliver listened quietly.

They arrived at the loft minutes later. Diggle offered to stay the night, but Oliver insisted that he go home and rest. The police would take over for tonight, and they could deal with their next move tomorrow.

"Don't beat yourself up too much, Oliver," Diggle knowingly murmured, sensing the barely concealed tension in his body. Oliver was like a caged animal when his loved ones were threatened. If he actually knew where Cooper was, he probably would've suited up already and exacted his own brand of justice. "They got the jump on us all. What matters is Felicity is fine."

Oliver looked at the closed door to her room. "I wish that were true. Thanks for having my back, Diggle."

With a nod, Diggle replied, "Always."

The door shut quietly, and Oliver locked it behind him. He made his way upstairs and contemplated knocking on Felicity's door. He wanted to make sure that she was okay for the night but also figured she might need some time to herself to process. Oliver decided to leave her be for now. He washed and bandaged the cut on his arm and got ready for bed. He'd just left the bathroom and threw on a pair of sweats when there was a quiet knock on his door.

* * *

Felicity bit her lip as she waited for Oliver to answer. Her body had been on autopilot as she got undressed and ready for bed. When it finally came time to climb into her large, soft bed, she just couldn't do it. Oliver answered seconds later, not looking at all surprised by the disturbance. Of course the first thing she noticed was that he was shirtless. "Hey," she mumbled, nervously tugging at the tank top that matched her flannel bottoms.

"Hey, are you all right?"

"Um, yeah. I just wanted to...could I..." Felicity abruptly shut her mouth, not used to having her words completely fail her. If anything, there was usually a verbal overflow battling to get out. Whatever driving force that had led her to his room suddenly vanished as she realized how truly awkward and presumptuous this was. She took a breath. "You know what, nevermind."

"Felicity." Oliver reached out for her arm before she could leave. His voice low and gentle, he asked seriously, "What do you need?"

"I was going to ask if I could sleep with you tonight." She instantly regretted how that came out. "I mean, not _sleep_ with you sleep with you. I meant actually sleeping as in shutting our eyes and getting rest. But now that I'm thinking about it, it's a stupid idea."

"Felicity."

She continued to babble, "It's silly, really. I mean, yes, the thought of being alone after tonight totally freaks me out but I'm safe here. Seriously, what's the difference between you being down the hall and me being in your bed? Being in your bed just to sleep, like I said. There really isn't. I'm a grown woman. I should just suck it up and stay in my own room."

"Felicity," he tried again.

"Okay, so I feel safest when I'm actually _with_ you. But that's probably all in my head. I'm sorry for bothering you. I'm being ridiculous, and now I'm rambling so I'm just going to-"

"Felicity," Oliver firmly interjected, finally getting her attention. "Come on." He motioned for her to come inside.

"Are you sure?"

The hand that was on her arm slid up to her cheek. He confessed in a quiet, deep voice, "Having you with me would make me feel better, too."

A small, shy smile formed on her lips before she let him guide her into his room. He shut the door behind her while she stared at the bed, unsure of what to do next. "Um, which side should I...?'

His protective instincts taking over, he said, "I'd prefer to be near the door."

"Right. Makes sense." She walked around to the right side of the bed and pulled the covers back.

Oliver, on his side, did the same before turning off the small lamp on the nightstand. They both laid down on their separate sides, in the dark, and stared silently up at the ceiling. Felicity couldn't help but think that this wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind when she'd envisioned ending up in Oliver's bed at the end of the night. Should she actually wish him a good night or keep her mouth shut and close her eyes? Despite being exhausted, Felicity could feel that her body wasn't actually ready to go to sleep. Her stomach was still in knots from what happened with Cooper earlier.

"I'm sorry."

Oliver's words were so quiet, Felicity thought she'd imagined him speaking. "For what?"

"Cooper shouldn't have been able to get to you."

Felicity turned on her side to face him and was glad when he did the same. The moonlight streaming in from the windows was enough to let her see the expression of guilt on his face. "Oliver, don't you dare start blaming yourself. Tonight was not your fault. Cooper literally had to wait until I was away from you before he could make his move. It's not like you could've followed me into the ladies room. Although after him and The Dodger, I'm seriously going to avoid going to the public bathroom alone ever again," she added as an afterthought.

"When I think about all the different ways tonight could've ended, I-"

"Don't. I'm here with you, and that's all that matters," she assured him and moved closer. "Besides, I got a couple of good hits in when he...after he kissed me." Oliver immediately tensed, and she was quick to reassure him, "He was completely stunned that I fought back. That was because of you and Dig."

Knowing Cooper had dared to put his hands on Felicity made Oliver want to bury one of his arrows in Cooper's chest all the more. But Felicity didn't need to know just how deep that rage ran. She was working through her own emotions right now. "Good," was all Oliver said, letting a hint of pride shine through.

Felicity took one of his hands in hers. "I'll admit that Cooper's sudden appearance scared me, but I was more worried about you. I knew something was going on in the restaurant, and I was terrified that the only reason he was able to see me was because something happened to you and Dig."

"Felicity, you don't have to worry about me," he stressed. "Or Diggle. We can handle ourselves."

"That's easier said than done-especially when Cooper is gunning for you."

"When all of these games are over and we're face-to-face, you know he won't stand a chance against me."

"He's got those men on the crazy pills, and he's working with someone else. Someone besides Petrov. I'm sure of it. Which, by the way, doesn't make any sense."

"We'll figure it out. But it's been a long night. Right now, you need to rest." He ran a hand through her blond locks.

Felicity snuggled closer to him, so she was right up against his chest. "For the record, I really was enjoying our first date. I've had worse, believe it or not."

"Not," Oliver replied, unable to hold back a grin. "But I enjoyed it, too."

Leaning forward, Felicity met his lips in a soft kiss. Oliver, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her more flush against him, deepened the kiss. Felicity sighed in contentment. This was how their first date was originally supposed to end-in each other's arms and sealed with a kiss. The hand that wasn't pressed against the hard muscles of his chest ran down his bicep.

Oliver's skin was naturally hot and did wonders to chase away the remaining chills she'd experienced from their earlier ordeal. It was amazing how mere minutes of being in his presence served to put her at ease. Despite everything, she'd never felt more cherished or safe. She didn't know where she'd be if she hadn't met Oliver, and the thought of him not being in her life made her cling to him all the more.

Oliver felt Felicity's hold on him tighten as her leg hitched over his hip. He groaned at the contact before gripping her thigh and leaving open-mouthed kisses along her neck. Her fingers glided through his hair, massaging and keeping him close. When he sucked on her pulse point, Felicity's breath hitched. The taste of her sweet skin combined with the feeling of her soft curves bending to his every touch was intoxicating. As Oliver made his way back up to her lips, the sweetness was replaced by a saltiness that made him pause. He touched his fingers to her face and felt the wet streak from her tears.

Felicity didn't know when she'd started crying. One minute she was full of desire, desperate for Oliver to keep exploring every part of her, and the next the intense love she'd felt had morphed into a sort of overwhelming anguish. It was like being close to the one thing she wanted most-and was most afraid to lose-had unleashed the dam of emotions she'd been trying so hard to contain. She'd been so focused on trying to stay strong and move forward these past months that she hadn't actually let herself stop and take a minute to truly deal with her repressed grief. It was five years in the making, and it all came to a head tonight when Cooper had directly threatened to destroy the new life she was trying to build for herself.

Oliver's heated kisses turned tender as he wiped at her cheeks. Despite the passion that had exploded between them moments ago, he sensed that that wasn't what Felicity needed. She was vulnerable and seeking comfort. Oliver wasn't going to take advantage of that. When they did finally make love, it would be on their terms and not the result of some traumatic event. With one last gentle kiss to her forehead, Oliver laid back and pulled Felicity into his side. She buried her face into his neck and continued to cry. It was one of the most gut-wrenching things he had to endure, because there was nothing else to do but hold her and let her work through it.

Oliver didn't know how much time had passed. It could've been ten minutes or over an hour, but eventually Felicity's tears finally subsided. He felt her soft, even breaths against his neck and knew she'd fallen asleep. His arms stayed firmly around Felicity as he shut his eyes, feeling just as spent. For the rest of the night, and regardless of what tomorrow might bring, Oliver was sure of one thing-he would never let her go.


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks so much for your awesome comments last chapter! Hope you enjoy this next one. Please read and review!**

* * *

 **Chapter 24**

"Did the results come back yet?" Oliver slid off his hood and mask as he entered the Foundry through the secret entrance in the back. It was the middle of the night, which meant that the club above was packed. He didn't want to chance being seen tonight as either The Arrow or Oliver Queen. He and his partners had too much to discuss.

Felicity had hacked into the SCPD database to check the police reports of the incident the other night. The medical examiner had confirmed that the attackers had died of bullet wounds, but blood samples were still taken to confirm that there wasn't any other foul play.

The blood samples came back inconclusive for drugs. The lab knew something was in their system, but the technicians didn't understand what it was. Oliver knew he needed to get his hands on one of the samples, so he'd broken in the night before. Afterward, he had Felicity run the sample to the lab in QC's Applied Sciences division. The scientists there were already familiar with the performance enhancers and would probably be able to break down the formula further. It wouldn't seem suspicious, since Ray was conducting an internal investigation about their disappearance anyway. If the scientists came back with questions, Felicity would merely say they were chasing down a lead.

"Not yet. Dr. Grant said he'd send the results as soon as they came in," Felicity answered without turning away from her computer.

"What about Dr. Houston and Petrov? Any leads?"

Felicity had been doing more digging on Dr. Houston and Petrov to somehow find a connection to Cooper. Nothing relevant had turned up, but she felt like she was getting close to something. "Not yet, but I'll let you know when I do."

"It's taking too long," Oliver growled. "We need to figure this out, so we can anticipate Cooper's next move. The entire city is in danger now, and every minute we waste down here we're-"

Felicity stopped typing and turned to face him. "I know, Oliver. You don't have to say it like I don't already know."

Realizing how harsh he'd sounded-sometimes he got a little too carried away in Arrow-mode-Oliver approached Felicity and put a hand on her shoulder. "I apologize. I just need your A-game right now, Felicity."

"Have I ever not given you my A-game?"

Although they'd set boundaries for PDA in the Foundry, a soft, quick brush of his hand across her cheek silently told her that he really was sorry for snapping at her. Felicity gave him a small, forgiving smile before turning back to her work.

"Did you have any trouble tonight?" Diggle asked.

"No." Oliver went to place his bow in the glass case. "Like I said, those gang members were nothing more than punks with guns. They didn't know how to use them."

"Which isn't exactly a relief," Diggle muttered.

"I found out where the shipment was coming in and put an end to it."

"If you're looking for something to do," Felicity interjected, "Thea texted me. She wanted me to remind you to pick out a huge Christmas tree this year, and that it better be fully decorated before she gets back."

Oliver groaned. As if he didn't already have enough things to worry about. "I don't even know where we put all the Christmas decorations."

"She said they're in storage."

"I don't suppose you know what's the best kind of tree to purchase."

"Seeing as though I'm Jewish, probably not," Felicity replied. "I already ordered my menorah on Amazon, so I'm set."

Oliver looked to Diggle, who replied, "Don't look at me. I got an artificial one with the lights already on it. Those strands are a bitch, man."

It surprised Oliver that Thea even wanted to celebrate the holidays. When he'd first come home last year, it was Oliver who suggested that they host the famous Queen Family Christmas Party. He'd learned that his family had stopped celebrating the holiday altogether after they thought he and his father had died. Now that their mother was gone, he just assumed that Thea would want to start skipping it again this year.

As if sensing his confusion, Felicity said, "I think it's like Thanksgiving. All you have is each other now, and she wants to make the most of it."

Oliver couldn't exactly complain about that. "I'll have Carrie look into it." He didn't miss the way Felicity bit her lip. It wasn't her usual gesture of shyness or nervousness. The thin, straight line of her lips was pure annoyance. Those two avoided each other like the plague and when they were in the same room, it was all fake smiles and passive aggression-mostly on Carrie's part.

Oliver made a mental note to have a little chat with Carrie about her behavior towards Felicity. Truthfully, the conversation was a long time coming. He always knew that Carrie had a crush on him, but he'd never had a need to address it until now. In a weird way, which Oliver totally attributed to his male ego, he had to admit that he kind of liked it when Felicity got all feisty and possessive in defense of him. Oliver had certainly lost his cool when Ray had started sniffing around her, and it was oddly comforting to know that Felicity could have the same reaction.

"Oliver," Felicity called to him.

"What have you got?"

"Nothing involving Cooper, but there is a bank robbery in progress on 5th and Lexington."

Oliver looked to Diggle, who was already grabbing for his gun. Felicity heard them hustle toward the back entrance. When the door slammed behind them, she breathed a sigh of relief. She loved Oliver and Diggle, but it was hard to concentrate when they were always standing over her shoulder waiting for results. Results that she clearly didn't have as of yet.

Unfortunately, professional criminals like Petrov were very good at covering their tracks. Cooper had once again disappeared off the grid, which she attributed to his newfound partnership. With Petrov's resources at Cooper's fingertips, it would be even harder to get a lock on him. The only lead they had was the car she'd spotted on traffic cameras following them to the restaurant. It was a rental, but the person whose name it was under didn't exist and had paid in cash. Felicity had also checked the cameras located outside their loft for suspicious activity over the past several weeks, but nothing stood out. It wouldn't be hard for Cooper and his goons to spy on their building while avoiding the cameras once they knew where they were located. Being extra cautious, Oliver had increased Felicity's security detail.

Oliver had also considered going to the local chapter of the Bratva to get information but ultimately decided against it. It wouldn't look good to the other members if Oliver was going after one of their own. Despite being a captain, he was also an American. A play against Petrov would make them all suspicious, and the last thing they needed was to kick the hornet's nest.

Felicity was on her third cup of coffee when Oliver and Diggle finally returned. "Nothing to report," she said in anticipation of Oliver's question.

"Actually, I was going to say that we should head home," Oliver declared. "It's late, and we both have to be in the office tomorrow. Until Dr. Grant gets in touch with us, there's really not much more we can do."

"Right. God forbid you're not there tomorrow to sign off on the holiday party expenses," Felicity teased as she logged off the system. After the tumultuous year QC just had, Oliver decided to throw a big holiday party for all of the employees. It was both a thank you for their hard work and a promise that the new year was sure to be better.

"The offer to help me still stands."

"I already told you that as long as there are those little cocktail weenies and some very potent poinsettia punch, I've got nothing else to offer."

"Smart move," Diggle commented. "But if you're taking requests, I've always been partial to the spiked eggnog."

"I do love eggnog," Felicity agreed and stood up. She rubbed at her neck and flexed her crimping muscles. "But if there's nutmeg in it, it'll probably make me swell up like a balloon. I can never take the chance."

"Bummer."

Rubbing his hands over his face, Oliver sighed. He wasn't the party planning type either, but the team in charge wanted answers. Tomorrow he would give them the final budget and tell them to do what they thought would be best. He didn't have time to play Martha Stewart.

By the time they returned to the loft, Oliver was ready to collapse into bed. The adrenaline from earlier had worn off, so now the ache in his muscles and the exhaustion were taking hold. Felicity looked just as worn out as she shuffled into her bedroom. After changing into her pajamas and washing her face, she joined Oliver in his room.

They'd been sharing a bed ever since that first night Felicity had come to him days before. After her tears had dried, she'd slept soundly through the night in his arms. They'd woken up long after his alarm would've gone off. Oliver had decided that they could both use the extra rest. Felicity, her eyes slightly puffy from crying, had glanced up at him with a sheepish look on her face. She'd opened her mouth-most likely to ramble an apology-but Oliver silenced her with a soft, tender kiss. Like the night before, Felicity had relaxed into him. The kiss was an unspoken agreement that Oliver would always be there for her, and that Felicity was welcomed to stay with him.

Snuggling under the covers, Felicity felt a shiver run through her. She was always coldest at night and didn't understand how Oliver could wear only a t-shirt or go shirtless altogether-not that she would complain about the latter. It was a trait of hers that Oliver had immediately picked up on, and she willingly let him pull her into his arms to warm up. Again, not something Felicity was going to complain about. The guy was a self-sustaining furnace, though she knew Oliver would hold her even if she wasn't cold. The natural warmth of his strong form combined with the way Oliver soothingly ran his fingers through her hair easily made it Felicity's favorite part of the day. In turn, her fingers traced small, rhythmic patterns across his chest. She listened to the steady beat of his heart against her ear and let it lull her. Felicity had started to fall asleep when her cell phone buzzed with a notification.

Felicity sighed, annoyed that she'd forgotten to turn it off. She reluctantly pulled out of the cocoon of Oliver's arms to grab her phone. Her irritation immediately vanished when she read the message.

"Felicity, what's the matter?" Oliver questioned when she suddenly bolted up.

"Dr. Grant just sent me the results."

Oliver followed suit and turned on the bedside lamp. "What are they?"

"In addition to the base formula of the performance enhancers, they found a substance called Cortana." Felicity looked to Oliver when she heard him curse under his breath. "What? You know what that is?"

"Cortana is a rare plant that grows in Corto Maltese. It gives the user a high while making the person more susceptible to suggestion," Oliver explained. "When I met with Petrov, he was trying to sell me his drugs laced with Cortana to sell in Starling. He wanted to break into a new market, since Vertigo was out of the picture."

"Well, it certainly looks like he found a way to do that," Felicity muttered. "But why team up with Cooper? How would they even meet?"

"I don't know. My best guess is that with Cooper staying off the grid, he's gotten more familiar with the underbelly of Starling. It's how he's lasted this long. He must've crossed paths with members of the Bratva at some point. Petrov was pissed when I didn't take him up on his offer. He's looking to not only get back at me but show me how far his reach extends. It's a power play."

Felicity asked worriedly, "Do you think Cooper told him that you're The Arrow?"

"Possibly. I need to contact Anatoly. He'll get answers." His long-time, powerful friend would do more than get answers. He'd deal with Petrov in the only way members of the brotherhood would understand. Cutting off Cooper's supply of Cortana would also even the playing field.

Felicity scanned the rest of the report. There were some other substances listed that she would have to look up when they returned to the Foundry. Their scientific names were too difficult to decipher.

Oliver was about to get up and call Anatoly when he turned back to Felicity. "Anything else?"

Felicity frowned, wondering if she'd misread the last statement. "What the...?"

Oliver recognized the confused crinkle between her eyebrows. "Felicity, what is it?"

"It wasn't simply organic substances found in the men. There were nanomites, too." At Oliver's blank stare, Felicity elaborated, "Nanomites are essentially microscopic robots. They can be injected into the blood stream to help in medical procedures or treatments to combat certain diseases. From what I've read about them over the years, they're still in the prototype and experimental phases."

"So why is Cooper using them? He's already got the performance enhancers and the Cortana."

Felicity bit her lip as she tried to work it out. The answer was within her grasp, if only she could make the connection. A moment later, it hit her. "Nanomites are microscopic robots."

"Yes, you already mentioned that."

"What do we use robots for?" Before Oliver could formulate an answer, Felicity continued, "We program them to do whatever we want. The performance enhancers made the soldiers strong but uncontrollable. Cortana is both addictive and deceptive. The nanomites are the missing link."

Oliver's eyes widened as he caught on to her train of thought. Suddenly, it made sense. "The nanomites combined with the Cortana is how Cooper can get the test subjects to do exactly what he wants without losing control."

"Yes," Felicity confirmed and explained the connection further. "Dr. Houston's research was all about visual subliminal messaging. Cooper embeds a message within the Brother Eye graphic. The message or command triggers the programmed nanomites, which is then relayed to the men who are completely indefensible because of the Cortana. I'd have to do more research on this, but it's the most plausible explanation."

"If this nanomite technology is as new as you say it is, then the number of companies who are developing it must be small."

"I should be able to narrow them down," Felicity confirmed, already reaching for her glasses and tablet on the nightstand.

"See what you can find. I have to make a call." Oliver was about to stand once more when he paused. "By the way, Felicity..." The blonde unlocked her tablet before looking up at Oliver. Before she knew what was happening, his lips were on hers. "You're a genius."

Felicity couldn't stop the blush or wipe the huge smile off of her face at the compliment. "I know."

Oliver chuckled, shaking his head at how Felicity could look so humble and yet sound so confident at the same time. He loved that she didn't dumb herself down for anyone. She owned her intelligence. It was one of the reasons why he was so attracted to her from the beginning.

While Oliver went to call Anatoly, Felicity got to work on her search for companies specializing in nanotechnology. She got a few solid hits before she came across a lead that made her blood run cold. Blinking a few times, Felicity had to convince herself that what she was reading was actually real. By the time Oliver returned to the room, Felicity was pale and tense.

He picked up on her unease immediately. "What did you find?"

It took a moment for Felicity to collect her thoughts. "There are a couple of companies that are developing nanotechnology, but the earliest breakthroughs weren't developed by them. Their research was built off of someone else's."

"Whose?"

"Ray Palmer," Felicity revealed, watching Oliver's reaction. She knew that he didn't particularly like Ray, and that it went beyond Ray's interest in her. They were two very different men that already had a difficult time understanding each other. This was sure to make things even more complicated. "It could be a coincidence, right?" Felicity knew it was naive to hope, but she couldn't help it. Ray was brilliant, but he was essentially a socially awkward science geek in a handsome man's body. Felicity had always liked Ray, and he'd been nothing but supportive of her work at QC. She didn't want to believe that she'd misjudged him so completely.

Oliver had no such reservations. "If there's one thing I've learned over the last six years, it's that there's no such thing as coincidences."

* * *

The soft ping signaled that the elevator had reached their floor. The doors opened, and Oliver and Felicity stepped out onto the executive floor. Ray's office was at the end of the corridor. As agreed, despite some mild protesting from Oliver, Felicity would take the lead on questioning Ray. She was the one he would most likely be receptive to, since they had similar personalities and worked so closely together these last few months. The fact that Ray had feelings for her would probably help, but Felicity didn't need to mention that to Oliver. It would only put him more on edge.

Originally, Felicity had wanted to talk to Ray alone. That's when Oliver's grumbling turned into full on obstinance about letting her go alone. If Ray actually was somehow involved with Cooper and was dangerous, then Oliver didn't want to take any chances. Felicity thought about pointing out that they'd be at QC in a building full of people but decided to let it go. Besides it giving Oliver peace of mind, he was good at reading people. Maybe he would pick up on something with Ray that she would miss.

Through the glass doors, Felicity could see Ray sitting at his desk. He looked to be in deep concentration and was scribbling something on a piece of paper. His assistant offered to buzz them in, but Felicity told Claire it wouldn't be necessary. Ray had told her that she was always welcome in his office and didn't need to be so formal. Felicity knocked gently on the door and offered a small wave when he noticed her. Ray then gestured for her to come inside.

"Felicity, glad you're here," Ray enthused. "I got this new idea I'd like to-oh, Oliver, hi."

Oliver offered him a nod but remained silent.

"Ray, do you have a few minutes to talk?" Felicity asked.

"Sure." He gestured for them to take a seat at a table off to the side. Ray thought it was better to be on equal footing while brainstorming with team members instead of staying behind his desk. "What brings the two of you to my office? Is everything okay?"

Felicity sat next to Oliver, across the table from Ray. "I was looking over your latest notes about the performance enhancers investigation. There have been a few developments recently that we wanted to ask you about."

"I'm not sure how much I'll know, but I'll do what I can to help."

"There was an attack at an Italian restaurant over the weekend."

"I heard about that. It's terrible what happened."

"The attackers that were killed that night had a form of the performance enhancers in their system." Despite her anxiety of the mere memory of that night, Felicity did her best to sound detached from the situation. The attack had made headlines, but Detective Lance stood by his word to make sure that Oliver and Felicity weren't identified with the incident. Neither Oliver and Felicity nor Lance wanted another media circus, and their involvement surely would've created a frenzy. The SCPD was well aware of the threat Brother Eye posed and didn't want to send the city into a panic.

Ray frowned at that. "The performance enhancers. How is that even possible?"

"We thought you might have the answer," Oliver interjected. "Something else was found in their system. Something you know all about. Do nanomites sound familiar?"

Felicity nudged Oliver with her foot under the table. There was a bit of an accusing undertone to his voice. Not how she wanted to start off this conversation. "Oliver has some connections down at the police department that brought this to our attention," Felicity said much more tactfully. "I looked into the nanotechnology and found out you'd done extensive research on nanomites a while back."

"Yes. It was the topic of my research project and dissertation while earning my first doctorate," Ray explained. "The technology is very promising. If it can be perfected, it'll do wonders for the medical field. Imagine fully functional nanotechnology being used to fight off cancer cells or repair fatal injuries. The possibilities are endless."

"That's great, but what are the risks?" Felicity questioned. "Are the nanomites dangerous?"

"Like with any other technological advance, there can be side effects. They can be unpredictable and possibly self-replicate to a point that they begin eating organic matter. Or they could end up in the wrong hands and be used as bio weapons for terrorism or arms races." As if sensing where they were going with this, Ray questioned, "You think the nanomites combined with the performance enhancers pose a threat? Well, obviously they do if they make random men attack innocent people."

"We have reason to believe that the nanotechnology was being used to counteract the behavioral effects of the performance enhancers. The military may have been trying to find a way to program the test subjects to carry out orders."

"It's not a bad idea," he mused with a shrug. "Depending on the composition, some nanomites can be like mini computers. They can be programmed to carry out all sorts of things. But still, that technology isn't just lying around."

"Exactly," Oliver stated, watching him carefully.

"You think I had something to do with this?"

Before Felicity could say anything, Oliver replied, "You've worked with nanotechnology, and you had access to the performance enhancers."

"It's been years since I worked on that research, and I was the one that told you about the performance enhancers being stolen. Why would I do that if I was involved?"

"You could have done it to cover your tracks," Oliver countered.

"But I didn't."

"Ray," Felicity was quick to interject, "we're not accusing you of anything."

"Are you sure? Because it sounds like you are. Or, rather, he is." Ray met Oliver's intense stare head on. "I didn't steal those performance enhancers and even if I did, I no longer have access to the nanotechnology."

Oliver, never one to back down, retorted, "Why is that?"

"I sold it a few years ago before joining QC."

"To who?"

"Merlyn Global."

Oliver was shocked into silence as his entire body went rigid. Felicity was also stunned but managed to recover much quicker. Placing a comforting hand on Oliver's knee under the table, she reclaimed Ray's attention. "Do you mind if I ask why you chose to sell it to Merlyn Global?"

"It wasn't something I'd even been considering. The company sought me out and made me an offer. I was already juggling projects with the smart wearables and knew my time would be limited after starting at QC, so I decided to pass my research on in favor of a team that could give it the time and attention it deserved.

"Do you know if they've made any headway?" Felicity persisted.

Ray shook his head. "I had spoken with Malcolm Merlyn last year about it before...before everything happened. He told me that the R&D had been placed on the backburner in favor of other projects." He offered, "I could inquire about it again if you want. It's a legitimate concern for the public now if the nanotechnology is being combined with the performance enhancers."

With the shock finally having worn off, Oliver replied, "I'll take over from here. Tommy Merlyn is my best friend. He'll tell me if Merlyn Global has been working on any new experiments."

"Or perhaps he won't because he's involved," Ray retorted. At Oliver's stern look, he added, "What? You think you're the only one who can have suspicions?"

"I'd appreciate it if you kept this quiet while we get to the bottom of this," he said sternly.

"Not a problem," Ray declared, his voice hard, "since I've kept the investigation in-house and hush hush thus far. I am the CTO, after all."

Before the tension could escalate between the two, Felicity jumped in. "Well, we should really get started on that. Ray, thank you for answering our questions this morning. You've been very helpful."

Ray's expression softened when he looked at Felicity. "Like I said, I'm happy to help. I want to get to the bottom of this just like you. Let me know, Felicity, if you need anything else from me."

The slight was not lost on Oliver. He stood up, and Felicity quickly followed.

"Thank you, Ray," she said with a nod. "I'll stop by again later to go over that new project you'd like to tell me about."

"Looking forward to it."

With a final nod, Felicity nudged Oliver and led him out of the office. She could tell that Ray's enthusiasm of them talking later-which she had to admit was a slight dig at Oliver-had gotten under Oliver's skin. Now he was really on edge.

They silently made their way back to the elevators to return to Oliver's office. It wasn't until they were inside the office with the door shut that they spoke. Oliver took a seat on the couch. Unsure of whether Oliver needed some space after that last encounter, Felicity sat down and left a few inches between them.

"So I don't know about you, but I think Ray was telling the truth. I really don't think he's involved in any of this," Felicity declared.

"He seemed to be telling the truth," Oliver grumpily admitted.

"Almost sounds like you were hoping it would be him."

"It would mean we are one step closer to thwarting Cooper's plans."

"We still are if you really are going to talk to Tommy," Felicity said.

Oliver rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I have to. We need to know what Merlyn Global has been up to. Cooper could've attacked the company not just to steal money."

"You think he had a hidden agenda," Felicity surmised. "He wanted to gain access to the nanotechnology. Stealing the money wasn't just to get back at us. It was a ruse."

"It seems like the most plausible explanation."

Felicity sighed and leaned her head back on the cushion. "And I thought my five years of setting him up was strategic and underhanded." Cooper had certainly upped his game in these last months.

"The difference is you're not a bad person, Felicity. You were trying to free yourself and bring down a dangerous group. Cooper, his intentions are anything but honorable. When you only care about yourself, you don't have much to lose."

"Unlike us, who have everything to lose," she mumbled. Before Oliver could say anything, she added, "I know, I know. We're going to take him down. I just hope it's before he does any more damage."

Oliver closed the distance between them until their bodies were touching. He cupped her cheek and guided her lips to his in a reassuring kiss. Felicity leaned into him, accepting the much-needed comfort.

When they finally broke apart, Oliver muttered, "Do you really have to see Ray later?"

An amused smile immediately graced Felicity's face. "You are so adorable when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous," Oliver denied, not quite masking the petulance in his voice. "I'm protective."

She rubbed her thumb across the hand on her cheek. "That, too."

Oliver continued, "Just because I think Ray's telling the truth doesn't mean he is."

"Don't worry. I'll look into it before I meet up with him later," she reassured and rubbed her nose affectionately against his. Her lips hovered over Oliver's, tracing them lightly before pulling back. She'd told him before that he didn't need to be threatened by Ray, and she meant it. Felicity had already made her choice. "While I look into Ray's story, you should go pay Tommy a visit this afternoon."

Oliver nodded absently, unable to concentrate with her lips hovering so close. After their discovery of the nanotechnology last night, their attention had been elsewhere. They'd gone to bed late with Oliver having had a very pointed conversation with Anatoly and Felicity on her tablet doing research. They'd been so focused on getting to the office to confront Ray that they'd forgone their usual breakfast ritual this morning and grabbed something quick on the way over.

"I should go," Felicity whispered, despite making no move to get up. "I have a lot of work to do, and so do you, Mr. CEO." With Oliver staring at her in that sexy, intense way of his, it was hard to recall exactly what all that work was.

"Right," Oliver mumbled before throwing caution to the wind and claiming her mouth once more. When it came to Felicity, he never felt like he could get enough. The pull between them was growing stronger with each passing day, making Oliver wonder how he'd resisted her for so long in the first place. It still scared the hell out of him, though it had nothing to do with Felicity herself. His fears were his own demons that he needed to work through.

They were so wrapped up in each other that neither heard Carrie opening the office door. "Oliver, the planning committee is here to-"

Oliver and Felicity immediately broke apart to find Carrie staring at them, open-mouthed, with a mixture of shock and anger flitting across her features. Behind her stood the equally stupefied five members of the planning committee tasked with organizing the big Queen Consolidated holiday party.

Felicity could feel her face turning red at having being caught making out like a couple of horny teenagers. Oliver, on the other hand, simply stood, buttoned his suit jacket and said he'd be with them in a couple of minutes. The steel in his voice left no room for argument. Carrie, once she'd regained her wits, quickly ushered the group back out.

"Oh God," Felicity groaned. "I can't believe that just happened. You do realize the entire building is going to know about us within the hour, right?" They'd been so careful to keep a mask of professionalism while at the office. One slip and that was shot completely to hell.

Pulling her up and removing her hands from her face, Oliver said, "It was bound to happen at some point." He shrugged. "Let them talk. It's not like the last time. You've more than shown what you're capable of, Felicity. Besides,"-he tugged affectionately on her ponytail-"I have enough secrets in my life. This is one secret I don't want to keep."

Felicity could feel her heart melt at his words. Still, she had to ask, "What happened to wanting to take things slow?"

"We can still do that. The only difference is now we can be more open about it." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her gently. By the time he pulled back, her smile had returned. "Unfortunately, I can't keep them waiting."

"Unfortunately, I also have a ton of stuff to do. But I'll see you later in the Foundry?"

"It's a date."

Felicity laughed and gave him one more peck on the lips. Then, with her head held high, she left Oliver's office. Felicity smiled confidently at the committee members on her way out and couldn't help the extra surge of satisfaction at the scowl on Carrie's face. If Oliver wasn't worried about it, then she wouldn't be either. He was right, after all. This was one secret that deserved to be brought to light.


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey guys, as always, thanks for taking the time to review! I love getting your feedback. Hope this next chapter can ease some of those hellatus blues. I'm having Olicity withdrawals already! Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

"I was surprised to see you on my calendar," Tommy declared as he stood up from his desk to greet Oliver. "A simple text message would've been fine instead of going through my assistant. We are best friends, after all."

Oliver had been debating how to broach Tommy all morning. Eventually, he decided that there was no right way. He just had to go to Merlyn Global and get it over with. "Well, I know how busy you are. I wanted to make sure we had time to talk."

"Uh oh. That's never good. Are you breaking up with me?" Tommy joked.

"Not today," Oliver replied.

Instead of returning to his desk, Tommy gestured to the seats in front of it. "So what's up?"

"We've been dealing with an issue at QC," he began. "It's confidential."

"You know I won't say anything," Tommy promised before prompting him to go on.

"The Applied Sciences division at QC was working on some kind of formula to enhance the performance of the military. There were complications, and the project was slated. Recently, I found out that the formulas were stolen. We've launched our own internal investigation to track them down." Oliver went on to explain what happened to some of the test subjects and how random men have been popping up exhibiting the same side effects. He also told Tommy about the incident at the Italian restaurant-minus the part about Cooper-and the test results the lab had analyzed.

"So you believe that Merlyn Global supplied the nanotech that was found in the attackers' blood samples?"

"It's a strong possibility is all I'm saying," Oliver replied. "I learned from Ray Palmer that he sold his nanotechnology research to your father a few years back. Ray said that your father claimed the research had been put on hold and shelved for a later time."

"Of course he did," Tommy muttered with a shake of his head. "Let me guess, you don't believe Ray."

"I believe he thinks the project was shelved, but Merlyn Global is the only company here in Starling with access to that kind of technology. As CEO, I was hoping you could see if there were any inconsistencies in your records. Maybe the research didn't stop like your father had said."

"Sure, give me a couple of minutes. I'll see what I can dig up." Tommy returned to his desk and started typing on his computer.

Meanwhile, Oliver checked his phone. There was no new information from either Felicity or Diggle, but it was a busy day at the office-especially after what had happened that morning. No one would dare say anything to his face about Felicity, though Oliver knew the gossip was making the rounds. Carrie would make sure of that. Thinking about their earlier conversation made his irritation flare anew.

"What the...?" Tommy muttered with a perplexed look on his face.

"What's the matter?"

"There is a record of the nanotech research, but the system is saying that I don't have access. I'm the CEO. I should have access to everything. How does that even happen?"

Oliver already had a pretty good idea about why the people involved would like to keep Tommy in the dark. "What are you doing?" he asked as Tommy picked up the phone.

"If I don't have access, then I'm going to call someone who will give it to me."

"Tommy, wait," Oliver warned and placed his hand on the phone. "Maybe you shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"We don't know the full story here."

"Hence why I'm going to make a call," Tommy stated, frowning. "Oliver, you're the one who brought this to my attention."

"I know that, but this is dangerous, Tommy. People connected to this have died. There is a reason you weren't informed about this. After what happened with the Undertaking..." Tommy flinched slightly at its mention, but Oliver knew it would drive his point home. "All I'm saying is that we should be discrete."

Sighing, Tommy put the phone back down. "I guess you're right."

"That does happen from time to time."

"Unfortunately," Tommy quipped and ran a hand over his face. "So what exactly should I do? What's our next move?"

"With your permission, I'd like to bring Felicity in on this. If there's something to find, she'll find it. She already has access here, since she helped during the Brother Eye attack. It wouldn't look out of the ordinary if she came back to check on things."

"That makes sense," Tommy agreed. "What does she need?"

"Probably access to the mainframe, but I'll talk to her and see," Oliver said. "But if you do find something out, don't go through my assistant or my work email. Use my personal one. If there's one thing I learned from Felicity, it's that we're never not being watched online."

"No message to Carrie. Got it."

"Actually, it's Jerry now," Oliver informed him.

"What happened to Carrie? Did she quit?" Tommy added, "Because I find that hard to believe. She was really... _dedicated_ in her job."

Oliver shrugged casually. "Sort of."

Tommy, however, wasn't falling for it. "She found out about you and Felicity and flipped, didn't she?" He chuckled at Oliver's look of surprise. "Seriously, buddy, you are a shitty liar. Did you really think I didn't know that you and Felicity were together by now? I was there Thanksgiving. I saw all of the looks."

"You and everyone else, apparently."

"So what did Carrie say when you told her?"

"I didn't tell her anything. She saw us kissing in my office."

"Nice," Tommy complimented.

"Not really," Oliver grumbled, remembering the way she'd confronted him after he'd met with the planning committee. The long-dreaded conversation finally came to a head as Oliver explained to her that Felicity deserved more respect than Carrie had been giving her lately. He also reaffirmed their professional relationship; Oliver was the boss and Carrie was the assistant. Certain lines were not to be crossed either inside or outside of the office.

When Oliver suggested that Carrie transfer to another part of the company-he didn't want to fire her, because she really was good at her job-she seemed to see red. She'd gone off on a tangent about how Felicity was nothing more than an untrustworthy gold digger. She'd even claimed that something was going on with Felicity and Ray behind Oliver's back. It was when Carrie actually mentioned how disappointed his mother would be that Oliver lost the rest of his patience. He'd fired her on the spot, which then prompted Carrie to shout that she quit. Carrie didn't go quietly either. Security had to be called, undoubtedly making the office gossip that much juicier. Jerry, who'd been an assistant to the CFO, was quickly brought in until they could find a suitable replacement. Oliver had already informed HR that this time around he wanted someone older with years of experience. He didn't need any more complications. Needless to say, after dealing with that all morning, visiting with Tommy was a welcomed relief for Oliver.

"Well, I'm happy for you, Ollie. After all you've been through, you deserve to have someone like Felicity in your life."

"We're still figuring things out, but thanks," Oliver said. "How are you and Laurel?"

Tommy chuckled wryly. "That's a loaded question. We've been going out more...and staying in."

Oliver nodded, understanding the double-meaning. "But you're still not together."

"No. It's not the right time. We're both focused on our careers and with the press-"

Although he and Tommy could be so different, there were times when they were almost too alike. Oliver interjected, "Tommy, you and Laurel have both been managing your careers pretty well thus far. And the press is always going to be the press. One minute they love us and the next minute they're cursing our names. A good friend once told me there never is a right time. Felicity and I would still be walking on eggshells with each other if I hadn't taken his advice."

"It's different. You're living with her. You don't have the luxury of avoiding each other."

"In some ways it's harder, because it's not permanent. Once Felicity's contract"-he nearly choked on the word-"is up, she could go back to Boston. Nothing has been decided yet. Starling is Laurel's home. She's not going anywhere and, to me, it sounds like the only thing stopping the two of you from giving it another shot is you. You know more than me the pain she went through during my time away. She deserves to be happy, and so do you."

Tommy sighed. "I hate being an adult. I'd much rather go back to the days of our Super Soaker fights."

"If I remember correctly, sometimes Laurel joined in on those, too."

"Crap. You're right. So basically I'm screwed."

Oliver shrugged. "It seems we're both works in progress."

"Have you actually asked Felicity to stay?"

"Don't change the subject," Oliver retorted.

Tommy countered, "Don't dodge the question."

"Like I said, we're figuring things out."

"Is she still sleeping in the guest room?" The glare Oliver sent Tommy had him holding his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I'm just asking. I told you about me and Laurel."

"Felicity and I...we're..." Oliver didn't know how to answer or even if he should. He settled on: "She's been sleeping in my room since the attack. _Just_ sleeping."

"Have you at least told her you love her?" Tommy warned, "Don't even try to deny that you do. You wouldn't be so protective of her and be fine with _just sleeping_ if you weren't." His best friend had no problem calling him out.

Oliver was at a loss for words. There was that one time during Thanksgiving he'd almost told Felicity, but then they'd gotten interrupted. Oliver knew exactly why he was holding back, but it was nothing he could share with Tommy.

Oliver's silence seemed to speak volumes to his friend. With a knowing expression, he declared, "Looks like I'm not the only one getting in his own way."

* * *

There was lots of chatter tonight on the police scanner. Too much chatter, in fact. Felicity was having a difficult time keeping up with all of the different incidents being reported. Some were minor violations while others ended in violence and trips to the hospital. The SCPD seemed to have most of it handled, but the disturbances were putting Felicity on edge. With each new disturbance, she feared that it somehow involved Cooper and his goons. The reality was that the city was bound to get more dangerous with the holidays approaching. The most wonderful time of the year sure did cause a lot of crazy.

"Dinner is served," Diggle announced as he entered the Foundry with two bags filled with Chinese takeout.

Felicity took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes as her stomach grumbled. It had been a long day, and she really hadn't eaten enough. "Oh my God, that smells so good!" She stood up and stretched before helping him to spread it all out on one of the work tables.

"I figured you could use a decent meal. I got a side order of those dumplings you like." Diggle handed her the container. "These are all yours."

With a grateful, beaming smile, Felicity threw her arms around his broad shoulders. "Dig, you make it impossible for me not to love you."

Chuckling, Diggle placed his arm around her and hugged her back. "You're not so bad yourself, Felicity."

"You're not sick of me after guarding me all the time?"

"Oddly, no. You're much more entertaining than when I have to guard Oliver," he jokingly replied.

"I'll bet. Plus, it's not like Oliver actually needs you to watch him." The times she'd seen Oliver take down a criminal firsthand with such strength and precision had left her in awe. If she didn't know he was a good guy and he didn't look so damn sexy in his Arrow suit, she probably would've ran screaming in the other direction.

"It's true. He's taught me a thing or two, but we all have our covers. Where would Oliver Queen be without his black driver?" he teased.

"I think mine was officially blown today," Felicity muttered.

"You mean when the two of you were found making out in his office?" Diggle smirked and handed her a paper plate.

Felicity groaned, "Oh dear God, not you, too."

"Good news travels fast."

"That's a relative term. And we were not making out. We were...saying good-bye before we went our separate ways for the day."

"Well, it must've been one hell of a farewell to make Carrie quit."

"Carrie quit?" Felicity asked, shocked. She hadn't heard any of this. Was she the only person at QC that minded their own business and actually did work?

"I escorted her out of the building. It wasn't pretty."

"Good riddance, then." Felicity took an extra scoop of the shrimp lo mien. She deserved it.

"Amen to that," Diggle agreed. "That girl had a screw loose, if you want my opinion."

They grabbed a couple of seats and began to eat. After a few minutes, Felicity asked, "Have you heard anything new about Brad?" Felicity might not have liked the guy, but he did get thrown through a window while trying to protect her. The guy deserved some sympathy. She'd sent a get-well card and gift basket to the hospital as a thank you.

"He's awake and seems to be doing better. He might be released in a couple of days, but he won't be back for a while."

"I figured. I'm glad he's doing better, though." Oliver had needed to hire a couple more guys to the security team to make up for the loss. They couldn't take any chances now that Cooper's threats actually had merit.

Taking a bite of her dumpling, Felicity closed her eyes and savored the warm, rich taste. It was the little things in life you had to enjoy when the whole world was going to hell. "Seriously, what do they put in these dumplings to make them taste so good?"

"I've lived in Hong Kong. You probably don't want to know," Oliver said, approaching them.

"Hey, I didn't hear you come in."

"Took the side entrance. The club is packed upstairs."

"What's going on?"

"Tommy hired this new DJ. He's supposedly the best one in the city. The turnout was larger than expected."

"That's good for business, right?"

Oliver shrugged and grabbed a plate of his own. He wasn't that well-versed in the latest popular trends. "We're not in the red, so probably. How were your days? Find anything else out about the nanotechnology?"

"Ray's story checked out," Diggle informed him. "He hasn't had any involvement with the nanotech since he sold it to Merlyn."

"When I met with him this afternoon, Ray seemed eager to help find an antidote for the formula. He and the lab are making it their top priority," Felicity added. "How was your day? Did Tommy tell you anything useful?"

"He didn't know anything about Merlyn Global acquiring the nanotech. When he tried to learn more about it, his access was denied."

"It's odd that a CEO would not be privy to something like that," Diggle commented.

"Exactly. Felicity, this looks like a job for you. I don't know that I want Tommy asking a whole bunch of questions if there are dangerous people in the company involved in this. Tommy is going to give you access to the Merlyn Global mainframe again. Do you think you can dig something up?"

Aside from her virus and the Brother Eye message, Felicity hadn't noticed that Cooper had infiltrated another part of the system. The fact that she'd missed it irked her to no end. She wouldn't stop digging until she found out everything he'd accessed. "It might take me some time to get through, but you know I'll crack it. When can I start?"

"I'm waiting for a confirmation from Tommy, but I'm hoping tomorrow."

"Let me know, and I'll be there. Anything else you'd like to tell me about today?" Felicity prompted when it appeared that was all he was going to share.

Oliver paused mid-bite at her probing tone. He looked to Diggle as his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What have you heard?"

"Oh, nothing much," Felicity casually remarked. "Just that you now have an opening for an executive assistant."

"You interested? I think the odds of you getting the position would be stacked in your favor. How are you at filing?" Oliver teased.

"Nice try, but no way in hell." Both Oliver and Diggle laughed at her strong response. Being someone's secretary was like Felicity's nightmare. She didn't skip high school and bust her butt in MIT all those years to end up pushing paper and fetching her boss's coffee.

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know. The job is yours."

"Yeah, don't hold your breath, buddy," Felicity quipped. "When I asked about the position, I was more curious about Carrie's dramatic exit. What happened?"

There was a beeping noise at the computer. Diggle motioned that he'd check it out. She knew he was giving them some space to talk. He was always good about that.

"We had very different opinions about the boundaries of our work relationship," Oliver explained. "I offered to have her transferred to another division, but she refused and quit." Felicity didn't need to know all of the details of their strained conversation or the colorful names Carrie had called both of them on her way out.

Felicity used her fork to swipe the rice back and forth on her plate. "I'm sorry if I made things more difficult for you." She was thrilled that Carrie was gone, but she hadn't meant to give Oliver another thing to stress about.

"Felicity, it wasn't just you. That conversation was a long time coming." He reached for her hand. "But even if it was, I would always defend you."

She felt her heart beat faster at his words and squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Oliver."

"Oliver," Diggle called, interrupting the moment. "We've got a problem."

 _So much for dinner_ , Felicity couldn't help but think.

The pair stood up and joined Diggle. The cameras from the club above were on the screen. There was some kind of disturbance in Verdant. Several figures pushed through the crowd and tossed people to the side. The club security approached them, and a fight broke out. The bouncer, who was well over two-hundred pounds, went down with one punch. That was when Oliver knew the men were Cooper's.

"Diggle," Oliver said.

"On it," Diggle replied and went to retrieve their weapons.

"Felicity, call the cops. As soon as we leave, I want you to put this entire place on lockdown," Oliver ordered.

"Do you think Cooper knows we're down here?" The panic was evident in her voice. She looked once more at the screen and blanched. Felicity knew that Oliver could take care of himself, but these weren't normal men. Cooper had turned them into mindless monsters.

"I don't know, but I'm not taking any chances. You lock this place down and don't open it unless I tell you to. Understood?"

"But if they-"

He took her face in his hands and forced her to meet his gaze. "You don't open those doors unless I give you the word. Promise me." Oliver realized that he sounded a bit harsh, but this was important.

"I promise," Felicity conceded despite every instinct inside of her screaming otherwise.

Without another word, Oliver went to retrieve his Arrow suit and bow. Minutes later he and Diggle-wearing a ski mask since Oliver Queen's bodyguard fighting with The Arrow would be highly suspicious-were in the club trying to make their way to the men while chaos erupted around them. People were running for the exits while others cowered behind the bar or under tables. The men were tearing apart everything in sight.

Felicity did as Oliver instructed and made sure she enacted the emergency locks. The Foundry was like a fortress. No one could get in or out. Felicity made sure her line of communication with Oliver and Diggle remained intact, though they were much too busy fighting off the intruders to say anything to her.

Her eyes were glued to the screen, following Oliver and Diggle's every move. Each time one of them took a hit it was like Felicity was also taking the blow. She kept an eye on the security system sensors. No intruders were registering, and the men in the club didn't seem to be heading in the direction of the Foundry. It was more likely that the club was targeted because it belonged to Oliver.

Two men were on Oliver at once. He kicked out at one and stabbed the other with something in his hand. It was probably one of his tranq arrows, but it seemed to do little to stop the man. Oliver readied his bow and shot the two men. These weren't his regular arrows. They exploded and sent both men flying off their feet. Diggle shot another attacker in the knee. He fell to the ground clutching it.

"Oliver, the SCPD are almost here," she told him through the comm.

" _All right. We'll head back down._ " As they were making their way out, two more men cornered them in the hallway near Oliver's office.

Oliver and Diggle were quick to recover, fighting back to back. A minute later, Oliver's guy had grabbed him and swung him into the wall. Felicity felt like her stomach was in her throat as she watched Oliver struggle to throw him off. The man was punching him in the abdomen over and over again until finally Oliver was able to block him and turn the tables. He shoved his attacker's head into the wall, which created a large hole. A few more punches to the head and the man was out cold. Releasing another explosive arrow, Oliver was able to free up Dig from his own attacker.

" _Felicity, you can open the door now,_ " he said once they'd made it to the hidden entrance.

Felicity turned off the emergency lockdown system and opened the door for them. She already had the first-aid kit out. Diggle took off his mask to reveal a busted lip and a large bruise forming on his cheek. Oliver pulled back his hood and took off his mask but not without a hiss from the movement. She needed to see his stomach and how much damage had been done. Looking between the two, Felicity wasn't sure where to start.

Noticing her torn expression, Diggle discretely motioned to Oliver. Felicity offered him a small smile and handed him one of the alcohol pads for his lip before approaching Oliver. "Are you okay? Is anything broken? Let me see your stomach."

"I'm fine, Felicity."

"No, you're not. I saw all the hits you took. Now let me see." It was her turn to give the orders and be stubborn. Felicity refused to let Oliver hide behind his tough guy act. She went to undo his jacket and was relieved when he didn't stop her. An involuntary gasp escaped her when she saw the angry bruises starting to form. "I'll get you an icepack." She ran her fingers over them lightly, though he still flinched. "Make that three," she amended and set off to fetch them.

"The police are upstairs and taking the men into custody," Diggle said while watching the monitors. "They got one of those military-grade trucks."

"That should hold them at least." He took an icepack from Felicity before sitting down in his chair. Oliver leaned back as Felicity positioned the other two icepacks against his bruises.

"They weren't here because of the Foundry. No one tried to break in. I think they targeted Verdant because it's your club."

"There's at least that," Oliver sighed and then flinched in pain. "Damn, they were strong. I haven't seen that since..."

"Since when?" Felicity asked.

Oliver shook his head. "Nevermind. It doesn't matter. This is something different."

Despite not saying much, Felicity knew that whatever Oliver was about to reveal had to do with his time on the island. He was still very sensitive about sharing what happened while he was there. Felicity let it drop and instead replied, "You were still able to stop them."

"Barely. Short of a kill shot, they're relentless."

"They're machines," Diggle agreed. "It's like the pain doesn't quite register."

"With the nanotech, they practically are machines," Felicity declared just as an idea popped into her head. "Oh my God. That's it!"

Confused, Oliver inquired, "What's it?"

Felicity rushed back to her workstation and pulled up the file she'd saved when they'd retrieved Ronsen's phone. "Nanomites are mini computers. Whatever the size, computers are what I know best."

"That's the Brother Eye message."

"More specifically, this is the one that programmed Ronsen."

"Why are you looking at that?"

"There may not be a way to reverse the effects of the performance enhancers, but I might be able to reprogram the nanotech."

"How?" Oliver questioned, taking in the way her beautiful face lit up when she was on the verge of solving a pressing problem.

"I'm going to figure out how to decode this message and reverse engineer it."

"How long is that going to take?"

"All night-if I'm lucky."

"So you're going to need a lot of coffee then." He kissed the crown of her head and beamed with pride. She would figure it out. He had complete faith in her.

"I also wouldn't mind some more of those Chinese dumplings. Got to keep up my strength."

Oliver's phone rang. "It's Detective Lance." He was dreading this call. They'd already had enough awkward conversations to last a lifetime, and it just kept getting worse with each new incident.

"You better take it."

Oliver grumbled a reply before going off to the side to accept the call. He was rubbing the bridge of his nose in that tense way of his as he pretended to know nothing about the incident.

"I'll make a coffee run as soon as the police clear out," Diggle offered to the blonde.

"You know, you'd make a really great assistant," Felicity suggested. "Maybe you should ask Oliver for that job. It's gotta be a step up from 'black driver.'" Felicity wasn't sure when she'd gained the ability to joke after traumatic events, but it was better than being a ball of nerves. She took it as a positive sign that she was finally adjusting to life on Team Arrow.

Diggle smirked. "To quote a very wise woman, 'Nice try, but no way in hell.'"


	26. Chapter 26

**Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! Thanks for the reviews last chapter. Hope this update adds to your merriment, although I may be dodging invisible beer bottles afterward. ;) Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

"It's too big."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is."

"No one has ever complained to me before."

"Well, I'm telling you now. It doesn't fit."

"Felicity, we'll make it fit."

"It's all yours, so do what you want. But I'm not touching it, Oliver."

"I need you to hold it steady."

"How could I possibly hold onto it? The thing is massive."

"Felicity, this was your idea."

"One I'm beginning to regret."

"Felicity," Oliver tried again, barely hiding his frustration. "All you have to do is place your hands on it while I do all the work."

Diggle entered the apartment and paused. "I totally walked in on the wrong part of this conversation. Are the two of you decent, or should I come back later?"

Felicity frowned at Oliver before realizing how their conversation must have sounded to an outsider. She walked around the enormous Christmas tree that was currently taking up a very large portion of the living room. "Actually, Dig, your timing is perfect!" Felicity enthused. "Oliver got a little carried away today when picking out the Christmas tree. He needs help trimming it."

"Hey, I was just doing as Thea asked," Oliver defended. "She said no Charlie Brown trees."

"So you got the Jolly Green Giant instead," the blonde quipped.

Felicity had actually been excited to have a Christmas tree in the apartment. Although she was Jewish, she still enjoyed the beauty of the colorful lights and decorations that would adorn it. Oliver also talked up the natural smell of pine. Felicity had already found the perfect spot for her menorah on the table by the large windows. It had been Oliver's idea, and she loved that he was just as eager to embrace her traditions as she was his.

Oliver was going to hire someone to decorate the tree, but Felicity convinced him that doing it themselves would be fun. She even found the cutest dreidel ornament to hang on it. Her enthusiasm had quickly fizzled, however, when the men from the Christmas tree lot showed up with one of the biggest trees Felicity had ever seen. The loft had a lot of wide open space, but the tree made the space feel cramped. And God knows what critters could be inside. She was half expecting Alvin and the Chipmunks to pop out and start singing at any moment.

"Trimming isn't that big a deal." Oliver would probably need a tarp and some heavy-duty pruning shears, but he could get the job done. He could call down to the front desk and ask for them. The maintenance men would have something, since they took care of the bushes and flowers in front of the building.

"I may be Jewish, but I've seen _Christmas Vacation_. That thing must be loaded with sap." The mere thought of her fingers sticking to the smooth, sensitive surface of her tablet left her cringing.

"You might want to also check for squirrels," Diggle joined in on the teasing.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "You two are hilarious," he deadpanned.

"I like to think so," Felicity replied and affectionately kissed his cheek. The side of his mouth twitched, letting her know that he wasn't actually as annoyed as he was pretending to be. "Dig, would you like some hot cocoa?"

"Only if you're already making it."

"Oliver?"

He tugged gently on her ponytail, loving the way she smiled at the gesture. "Sure. Why not?"

Diggle added, "Don't forget the marshmallows."

"Of course not." Felicity placed the teapot filled with water on the stove. After the cold day they'd had, she'd been dreaming about drinking hot chocolate by the fire to warm up. Snuggling later with Oliver, of course, would also help. She headed upstairs to change out of her dress and into her yoga pants and comfy sweatshirt.

"Dig, I need your help with something."

"I told you to get the fake one." Shaking his head, Diggle conceded, "Where do you want me to hold it?"

"It's not about the tree." Oliver quickly looked upstairs to make sure Felicity's door was shut. "It's about Felicity."

"What's up? Is everything okay?"

Oliver felt a little embarrassed to admit his next words, but he'd been wracking his brain for days. It was time to bring in reinforcements. "I don't know what to get her for the holidays."

"Are we talking Hanukkah or Christmas?"

"Both," he answered.

Diggle smirked in amusement. "I have to admit I'm surprised, Oliver. You've dated half the women in Starling. I thought you'd have this covered no sweat."

"That's just it. Felicity is different," Oliver explained. He knew exactly how he would've handled this situation in the past. When it came to the women in his life, he'd have either gone the easy route by buying them something shiny and expensive or gotten them something that would ultimately end up benefiting himself, as well.

The first year he'd been dating Laurel, he'd surprised her with a big ski trip with all of their friends. Laurel had been so excited, because she'd always wanted to learn to ski. While that was part of the reason he'd planned it, Oliver also had been looking for a way to get closer with one of his friends' girlfriends. She was a former model and had been flirting with Oliver for months whenever they were at the club. With everyone busy skiing and exploring the lodge, it would've been the perfect opportunity to sneak off for a bit without the chance of their of significant others or the paparazzi catching them. Oliver cringed just thinking about it now. He really had been a spoiled, selfish asshole back then.

"Well, Felicity did like that diamond ring in Corto Maltese," Diggle pointed out.

Oliver considered it for a second before shaking his head. "A ring would be too much this early on. Have you been conspiring with Thea? Because if it was up to her, we'd already be planning a wedding. "

"I just meant that maybe she'd like some bling." Diggle smirked. "But it's interesting that you automatically thought of marriage."

Oliver chose to ignore that assessment and replied, "I don't want to just throw jewelry at her."

"Pick out something meaningful. Or, you know, she is a tech genius. The other day she was gushing about some new processor that would upgrade the comm system in the Foundry."

"I can't get her a gadget for Christmas. That's too impersonal." Oliver asked, "What are you getting Lyla?"

"There's this glock that came out with a new grip design that she's been talking about nonstop."

"A gun. That's what you're getting her?" Oliver replied in disbelief.

"Well, it's not the only thing I'm getting her." A mysterious smile appeared on Dig's face. Before Oliver could prod further, Felicity's door opened. Then the teapot was screeching, which effectively ended that line of conversation.

"You'll figure it out," Diggle quietly told him.

"Ooh, just in time," Felicity exclaimed as she came down the stairs. She took the teapot off the stove before grabbing mugs. Diggle and Oliver joined her in the kitchen as she set about making their hot chocolates.

"A little bit more," Diggle requested when she started pouring the tiny marshmallows into his cup.

Felicity happily obliged, teasing, "And I thought I had the biggest sweet tooth of Team Arrow."

"We don't call ourselves that," Oliver interjected.

"But we totally should."

"Stop." He tugged playfully on her ponytail once more and gave her a quick peck on the lips before taking his hot chocolate.

"You're no fun," Felicity mock pouted and took a large sip of her hot chocolate. She happily sighed afterward. She always bought the dark chocolate one, because it had a richer flavor. Judging by the same satisfied look on Dig's face, he approved. "By the way, I'll be at Merlyn Global tomorrow so I might be late to the Foundry. "

For the last few days, Felicity had been sifting through the mainframe after hours to avoid suspicion as she tried to uncover Cooper's tracks once more. He had to have gotten into the top-secret files somehow, but so far she couldn't find anything unusual. She'd managed to get into some of the project notes, but most of it read like gibberish to her. They were mostly scientific reports with lots of numbers and terms she didn't understand.

"Are you any closer to getting in?" Oliver questioned as they all took seats at the counter.

"Closer than I was yesterday, but I'm still not there yet. Merlyn could afford to hire some of the best encryptors in the country. They really know how to cover their tracks."

Diggle asked, "If you're having difficulty getting in, then how did Cooper?"

"Still working on that, too. I retraced my steps the last time, and nothing looks different. He needed Myron, Drake, Chase and me to pull off the other hacks. If he's been as involved in Starling's criminal underworld as we think, he could've hired some shady hackers to help him this time. I'll figure it out, though. He's never been able to hide from me for long," Felicity assured them. "I promise."

"You'll crack it," Oliver encouraged.

"Oh, and I'm also expecting a package. You can either leave it down here or in my room."

"What is it?"

"An ugly Hanukkah sweater."

Diggle snorted into his mug and nearly spilled the hot liquid on himself. "I didn't know they made those."

Oliver stared at her, perplexed, "What could you possibly need that for?"

"I spoke with Tommy yesterday, and he said the company is hosting its own holiday party this week. Everyone has to wear their best ugly holiday sweater, and we're invited."

"Wait, what do you mean by _we_?"

"All three of us are going. Don't worry. I already took care of your sweaters, too," she explained, amusement dancing in her eyes. Felicity had had way too much fun choosing their outfits and couldn't wait to see how hilarious they looked in them. "Dig, I sent yours to your apartment."

"Bodyguards don't wear ugly sweaters," Diggle declared.

"Bodyguards also need to blend. Everyone is wearing one. Not only will you be too obvious, but you'll be super boring."

"Thanks, I think," he muttered, still not too keen on the idea.

"You're welcome." She then looked to Oliver. "You're not getting out of it either. Tommy is your best friend, so you have to go. Besides, if you can wear a green leather hooded suit, you can pull off an ugly sweater."

"Those are so not the same thing."

"Oliver, you could wear a burlap sack and still look good," Felicity replied, causing Diggle to chuckle and Oliver to crack a smile. "Trust me, you're going to look adorable."

"If you say so."

"I know so," she confidently declared.

Diggle finished his hot chocolate and asked if Oliver still needed help with the tree before he headed out. Oliver told him to head home. He would call the maintenance men and have them do it. They were usually helpful with things like that. Diggle said goodnight and let himself out.

Felicity went to put their mugs in the dishwasher. She felt Oliver's arms wrap around her waist from behind. He placed a kiss on the side of her neck and rested his cheek against her temple. "What was that for?"

"Just because."

She turned in his arms and stood on her tiptoes to reach his lips. "Just so you know, I haven't given up looking for Merlyn."

Oliver automatically tensed at the mention of him, causing Felicity to run her hands gently up and down his shoulders. "Don't worry about him. We have much bigger problems right now."

"I know how important it is to you that he's brought to justice."

Oliver rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He'd been trying not to dwell lately on their lack of leads where Merlyn was concerned. The anger and frustration would eat him up inside if he let it.

"I promised that I would help you find him, and I keep my promises to the people that I love," Felicity softly replied. Biting her lip, she waited for his response. Oliver still hadn't said that he loved her. Although Felicity knew that he cared for her deeply, a part of her really just needed to hear the words. They were working as a team and living together (sort of) like a couple. Yet, their situation remained tenuous.

Oliver raised his hand to cup her cheek. "You're important to me. The city, too. Cooper is the main priority. We stay on him."

Felicity, though disappointed, nodded and let it drop. Oliver was right that Cooper was more of a threat at the moment, but that wouldn't stop her from hunting down Merlyn. The sooner they caught these bastards the sooner she and Oliver could have a fresh start. She let him pull her back in for another tender kiss and tried to imagine what their lives would be like without Cooper or Merlyn terrorizing them. Maybe then Oliver would finally be able to say the words. She had to hope. Imagining any other outcome would simply break her heart.

* * *

"Please, don't hurt me! I don't know anything!"

"Your reputation says otherwise," Oliver replied in his Arrow voice. After stopping a couple of robberies, he spent the rest of his night tracking down a guy called Snitch. He earned his name, because he always had information about what was going on in The Glades. He'd reveal anyone's secrets for the right price.

"I don't know," Snitch cried and swayed upside down in mid air, tugging on the cable wrapped around his legs.

"Like hell you do. Look at the picture this time," Oliver ordered and shoved the photo of Cooper in his face again. "Have you seen this man?" When he didn't answer right away, Oliver brought his fist back.

Afraid of being hit again, Snitch shouted, "O-okay, okay, once! I saw him once."

"When?"

"Several weeks ago. He was living by the docks. You'll find him there."

"He's not there anymore," Oliver stated gruffly. "Try again, Snitch, or I'll be forced to really make you squeal."

"That's all I got. I swear! He's involved with some very dangerous, well-connected people. Way out of my league. I just deal with street thugs."

"Who are these well-connected people?" Oliver demanded.

"He's been w-working with the Bratva. They weren't from around here, but I r-recognized their tattoos."

"When was this? Where?"

"T-two weeks ago. They were near the auto shop-the Bratva headquarters," Snitch stuttered, squirming. "Now can you let me go? Knowing stuff isn't a crime."

"If you tell anyone we talked, I'll make sure you never speak again," he threatened, grabbing his mouth roughly and yanking at his tongue. "Got it?"

"Yes, I got it. I won't say anything!" Snitch promised, his words coming out garbled.

"Good." Oliver delivered his knockout punch before cutting the skinny, gangly man down.

None of the information Snitch had provided was new, but it did confirm that the Bratva were still involved. Anatoly would not be pleased to find out that the Starling chapter was working with Petrov to conduct business behind his back. Then again, Anatoly had told him that Petrov was an ambitious, manipulative bastard. He'd been gunning for Anatoly's position as the head of the Bratva, and his actions against Oliver were just another way to stick it to him.

Oliver returned to his motorcycle and headed back toward the Foundry. He wanted to check out the auto shop and see what was going on there, but it was too dangerous. If they were in Petrov's pocket, it would be too risky for Oliver Queen to show up there again. If he went as The Arrow, then that would also seem suspicious. Cooper could've already told them about his secret identity, but he hadn't had any encounters with the Bratva while running his patrols as The Arrow. Petrov probably knew, though Oliver doubted his lackeys were privy to that information.

Minutes later, he was back at the Foundry. Diggle got up from Felicity's chair. He'd been running comms while she was at Merlyn Global yet again. "So when are we hitting up the auto shop?"

His partner knew him too well. "If Cooper really has been staying there, it won't be easy to infiltrate. For all we know, Petrov could've given his own men those performance enhancers. Whatever our next step, we have to be smart about it."

"Agreed. We can figure it out later-after the party."

"What?" When Diggle held up his ugly Christmas sweater, Oliver cursed under his breath. He'd totally forgotten about the event at Merlyn Global. Tommy had sent him a text earlier-most likely reminding him-but he hadn't gotten the chance to read it since he was on patrol. The sweater Felicity had picked out was red and looked like the front of Santa's suit with the white fur, black buttons, and a black buckle.

"Felicity thought you might need reminding."

"I think I purposefully blocked it out."

"Could be worse." Diggle held up his own sweater. It was red with green horizontal stripes. Sewn in front was a reindeer with Christmas lights tangled in his antlers while he threw up candy canes and small gift bows.

Oliver couldn't help but chuckle. "Nice."

"Felicity said to text her when we get there. She'll come down and meet us."

While Diggle shut off the computers and went to change out of his suit, Oliver pulled out his phone. **A Santa sweater. Really?**

Felicity texted back: **Don't you love it?! Seemed fitting since you're technically the big boss and all.**

 **I'm heading straight for the spiked eggnog.**

 **Don't drink too much before I get there. I still need to sit on your lap and tell you what I want...**

Oliver's eyebrows immediately shot up at the flirty response. They could have a lot of fun with this. **That depends...have you been naughty or nice?**

 **Hmm...not sure yet. We'll see what happens tonight. Heard there's plenty of mistletoe around ;)**

Oliver smirked, imagining her sexy smile and the mischievous glint in her eyes when she sent that text. Suddenly, the Santa sweater didn't seem so bad.

* * *

Felicity was in the middle of running a decryption program she'd designed when her phone rang. Seeing that it was her mother, she couldn't help but cringe. This was the third time in two days that she'd called, which meant that this was intended to be more than a friendly chat. Although Felicity had been busy this week, she also had been avoiding this conversation. She already had a pretty good idea what her mom wanted, and Felicity wasn't sure if she could agree to anything.

Knowing she couldn't avoid her mother forever, Felicity sighed and answered her phone. "Hi, Mom."

" _Felicity, glad to know that you're still alive. I've been trying to get a hold of you._ "

"I know, Mom. I'm sorry. It's been a bit chaotic here."

" _Calling me once and a while wouldn't hurt. I know you're all grown up now, but you live so far away. It's hard not to miss you._ "

Felicity closed her eyes in an attempt not to succumb to the guilt trip. "Like I said, I'm sorry. What's up?"

" _I'm going to be hosting the first night of Hanukkah with some friends next week. I was hoping you could take some time out from your busy schedule and come home to celebrate with us._ "

It was exactly as she'd predicted. "I'd like to, but I'm not sure that I can. I'm still under contract at Queen Consolidated. I can't just leave."

" _It's the holidays. I'm sure they will understand._ "

"I'm working on some projects that can't be put off. They're really important."

" _And I'm not?_ " Her mother sounded more hurt than angry.

"No, of course you are. But, Mom, you can't just call me out of the blue and spring this on me. I have responsibilities and people to answer to. I can't simply pick up and leave."

" _Well, what if I came to Starling instead?_ " she suggested. " _I can come for a few days_. _It won't be a big deal. The ladies won't mind if I host the last night._ "

"I don't know."

" _Felicity, honey, is there a reason you don't want to see me? Is everything okay? You sound...stressed._ "

"Mom, I want to see you," Felicity replied. "And yes, I'm stressed. I've got a lot on my plate right now. But I'm staying with a friend, and I don't want to start inviting people over to his apartment without his permission."

" _Wait a minute, you're staying with a man?_ "

Felicity stiffened. "What?"

" _You said_ his _apartment_."

"Yeah, so?" she tried to play it cool but knew it was futile. Her mother had most definitely picked up on her slip. No way would she drop this. Commenting on her love life-or lack thereof-was her mom's topic of choice during most of their conversations. Felicity could win a Nobel Prize and her mother would be more concerned with who she was taking as a date.

" _Who is this friend exactly? You never mentioned anyone who lived in Starling._ "

"We met when I was at M.I.T. and kept in touch."

" _Is he cute?_ "

"Mom!"

" _Is he?_ " she pushed, undeterred.

"It doesn't matter."

" _Oh my God, he is!_ " her mother excitedly exclaimed. " _I can totally hear it in your voice. Is something going on with you two? You sound smitten._ "

"Mom, I am not smitten." She could just picture the calculating look on her mother's beautiful face as she figured out ways to get more information out of her.

" _Felicity, we may not see each other often, but I am still your mother. I can tell when you're hiding something. You always clam up when it's a guy you really like and considering it's been_ years _since you've mentioned anyone to me, this is obviously serious. What's his name?"_

"I honestly don't think I should tell you."

" _Why not?_ _He's not a criminal, is he? Because I know those bad boys may seem sexy at first and are usually great in bed but in the end they'll just-_ "

"Ew, Mom, stop!" Felicity interrupted. "He's not a criminal."

" _Well, what does he do for a living?_ "

"He's...in business."

" _Ooh!_ _Does he work for Queen Consolidated? Is he a co-worker?_ "

"Um, kind of."

" _Felicity, you don't have to be so secretive. It's not like I'm going to tell anyone. I'm your mother. Please?_ "

Felicity just knew she was going to regret this. "Fine. It's Oliver Queen."

There was a crash on the other line and some scuffling. It sounded like her mother had dropped the phone. Finally, she replied, " _Oliver Queen like the billionaire_?"

"That's the one."

" _Oh my God!_ " her mom screeched, causing Felicity to yank the phone away from her ear. " _Felicity, you're dating a handsome billionaire. I can't believe my daughter is dating a handsome billionaire!_ "

"Mom, he's more than just his money and his looks." Her mother was a good person, but sometimes she could be a bit shallow. She'd certainly had her fair share of well-to-do boyfriends over the years that ended up being total scumbags.

" _I'm sure he_ _is, but you have to admit those things don't hurt._ "

"I'm dating him, because he's a good guy with a good heart," Felicity reinforced.

" _So you guys_ are _dating! This is too perfect._ "

She really did need to stop with these slip-ups. "Mom!"

" _What? I'm just so excited for you. You know I've always wanted better for you._ "

"I know that but don't get ahead of yourself. We're still sort of figuring things out."

" _Do you love him?_ "

She hesitated before admitting, "Yes."

" _Does he love you?_ "

"I think he does but..."

" _But what?_ "

Felicity hadn't anticipated their conversation taking this turn, but maybe it was good that it did. Despite their differences, her mother really was good at offering advice when it counted. "I've told him how I feel, but he hasn't actually said the words back yet."

" _I see_ ," her mother commented. " _Look, I don't know Oliver but I know men in general. Most of the time, they're terrible with words. And the men who do have some verbal ability, sometimes that's all they can offer-talk. What matters is how he treats you and how you feel when you're with him. Perhaps Oliver hasn't said the words yet but if he expresses how he feels in other ways, then you have your answer. Does that make sense?_ "

Felicity thought of all the ways Oliver had helped her since they'd first met and realized her mother had a point. "Yeah, it does."

" _Don't worry about coming home, honey. Stay with Oliver and work it out. Or, you know, you could invite him to come with you. Just throwing that out as an option_."

"I'll talk to him and let you know." She didn't want to make any promises, but she also didn't want to dash her mother's hopes. The computer beeped, signaling that the software had finished the decryption. "Mom, I have to go. I'm still at work right now, and I've got to finish up before I go to an event tonight." Felicity tugged at her ugly Hanukkah sweater. The mainframe room was slightly warmer because of all the equipment running.

" _All right. I love you, my beautiful girl. Don't be a stranger, okay?_ "

"I love you, too. And thanks," Felicity said before hanging up. Saving her mother's advice for later, Felicity refocused on the information in front of her. The files were finally unlocked. She pumped her fist in the air. "Yes, I did it!"

While she uploaded the information she'd found to their system in the Foundry, Felicity scanned through portions of it. One file in particular caught her eye, and she quickly skimmed through it. "Oh my God," Felicity muttered. She had to find Oliver. Now.

After making sure to erase any trace of her presence in the system, Felicity bolted out of her seat and headed for the elevators. She barely got a few steps out of the room when she saw one of the members of her security detail lying on the ground with an arrow in his chest. Blood pooled on the floor around him. Panic filled her and she sprinted for the elevators where another guard had also been shot. Felicity pushed the button frantically as she pulled out her phone. She'd just started dialing Oliver when the doors opened.

Felicity screamed when she saw the dark hooded figure standing inside. Before she even had a chance to turn and run, a hand shot out and grabbed her. Felicity struggled against him, but he was too strong. He pulled her roughly into the tiny space. Her last memory was of the doors sealing her shut inside and the room tilting before everything went black.


	27. Chapter 27

**Happy Thursday, everyone! So who's still emotionally wrecked from last night's episode? The angst was terrible but amazing. Last chapter, some of you were really curious about OTA's ugly Christmas sweaters. If you go on my Twitter account Bindy_417, you'll see the actual sweaters I (or Felicity) picked out. Tommy and Laurel's will be shown, as well. I'll be posting a poll to see who you think takes the ugliest sweater prize!**

 ** **I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter as the mystery continues to unfold.** Please read and review. Thanks!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

The Merlyn Global holiday party was held on the executive floor in a large conference room and was in full swing by the time Oliver arrived. Festive decorations hung from the ceiling and adorned the tables. The guests were scattered throughout the room, chatting and sipping on their drinks while looking utterly ridiculous in their ugly sweaters. Tommy noticed Oliver instantly and came over to greet him.

"Hey, buddy, glad you could make it." They did their whole man-hug thing before Oliver noticed Laurel standing off to the side. She also hugged him in greeting.

"Nice sweater," Oliver complimented Tommy, smirking. His best friend's sweater was blue and featured three elves waving money at what looked like a blond Santa stripper, wearing a thong and hanging off of a candy cane pole. It was definitely Tommy's style.

Tommy grinned impishly. "Thanks. It's been a hit with everyone tonight." He gestured to Oliver's Santa sweater. "I see you went with a classic. Loving the sick reindeer, Dig."

"Felicity picked them out," Oliver was quick to reply, to which Diggle nodded in agreement.

"She's got great taste," Laurel teased. She wore a green sweater that said "Meeowwy Christmas" with a picture of a cat wearing a Santa hat and tangled up in Christmas lights. "Can't wait to see what hers is. Where is Felicity, by the way?"

Oliver briefly caught Tommy's eye and replied, "She's finishing up some work. She'll be here soon."

"Well, I've got a few more people to greet. Come find us when she gets here. We need drinks to get this party started and pictures to commemorate the embarrassment for all eternity." After patting his friend on the shoulder, Tommy took Laurel's hand and led her to another group of guests. Oliver took the PDA as a good sign that the pair was finally getting back on track.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone to text Felicity. Seconds later it started to ring and her face appeared on the screen. _Perfect timing_ , he thought. "Felicity," Oliver greeted. "We're here. Are you coming down?" There was a muffled response and a loud clatter before the other line went completely silent. "Felicity?"

Something in the tone of his voice must've sounded off, because Diggle's head snapped in his direction. "Everything okay?"

"Felicity," Oliver repeated but heard nothing. He hung up and tried calling her again. Every muscle in his body tensed when it went straight to voicemail. "Something's wrong. She's not answering." Felicity was always near her phone, and it wasn't like her to call him and then not answer.

Diggle pulled out his phone and tried calling the security detail they'd left with her. He shook his head and swore under his breath when he couldn't reach any of them. Oliver's mind was racing, each scenario becoming worse than the one before.

"How do we get up there?" Oliver demanded.

"You need special access to the elevators."

Oliver searched the crowd frantically for Tommy. Ignoring the odd looks and grumbles as he pushed people aside, Oliver didn't stop until he reached his friend.

"I think it's an issue worth discussing," Tommy was saying to a balding, middle-aged man. "Why don't you call my assistant and she'll-" His words were abruptly cut short as Oliver yanked him over to the side.

"Oliver, what the hell?" Tommy exclaimed. "I was talking business with-"

"We need to go up to the mainframe. _Now_."

Laurel joined them. "Is everything okay?"

Tommy was equally confused. "I don't know. What's going on?"

"I don't have time to explain. All I know is Felicity is in trouble, and we need to get to her now," Oliver growled. His patience was hanging on by a thin thread.

Tommy, knowing better than to argue with him, nodded. "All right. Let's go. Laurel, stay here."

"No, I'm coming with you."

"Absolutely not," Tommy objected. "I don't want you walking into a dangerous situation. You need to stay here, where it's safe."

"But it's okay for you guys to go?" the brunette challenged. "I'm perfectly capable of holding my own."

"Laurel-"

"We don't have time for this," Oliver snapped. If it was up to him, he already would've been up there by now. Every minute they wasted was putting Felicity in even more danger.

"I make my own choices, and I'm coming with you," Laurel asserted and walked around them to leave.

Tommy let out a low curse and followed. A couple of his own bodyguards joined them. Oliver and Diggle flanked them as they made their way to the special elevator. Tommy scanned his ID, causing the doors to open. They all made their way up to the mainframe. Diggle and the other security men had their guns out and ready as soon as the doors opened.

"Shit," Diggle swore when he found JJ lying on the floor in a pool of blood. He bent down to pick something up. His face was grim as he held it up for Oliver and the others to see. It was Felicity's phone. Oliver's face shown on the screen, indicating she was his last contact.

"Laurel, stay close," Tommy said and drew her against him.

Oliver immediately noticed the black arrow sticking out of JJ's chest and his heart plummeted. Of all the scenarios he'd anticipated, this was definitely not it. Oliver rushed past the bodyguards despite their protests. Dante was in the other room, also shot and lying motionless on the ground. Oliver, letting the others tend to him, went straight for the mainframe room.

"Felicity," he shouted, but it was empty. Only her shattered tablet and glasses remained behind. Oliver picked up the glasses, noting the tiny crack in the left lens. Rage and despair battled within him as he tried to come to grips with what this meant.

"Oliver," said Diggle behind him.

Oliver turned around and held up the glasses. "She's not here. He took her." He couldn't believe that he'd let this happen again. That he'd let one of his enemies get so close to her.

Diggle let out another low curse and shook his head. "The bodies are still warm. We must've just missed them-whoever they were."

"I recognize the arrows and the kill shots. It was the Dark Archer," he said, not wanting to name Merlyn in case anyone was listening. "He took her. That son of a bitch." Just the other day he'd told Felicity to not concern herself with Merlyn's whereabouts, because Cooper was their priority. Now that evil monster had Felicity. Without her tablet or her phone, they were left with absolutely no way of getting a trace on her.

"It doesn't make any sense. How would he even know to take her?"

Tommy entered the room, looking miserable. Laurel followed. "Ollie, I'm so sorry. This is my fault."

Oliver's head snapped to his best friend. "What?"

"I shouldn't have let Felicity go poking around in the classified files. Those arrows look like they belong to the man who worked for my father-the Dark Archer. If my father was capable of the Undertaking, who knows what else he was involved in. She must've gotten too close to something. I'm so sorry, Oliver."

"What classified files?" Laurel interjected.

"It's a long story. And it's not your fault, Tommy. It was my idea to bring Felicity in on this," Oliver replied, the guilt making his voice heavy and coarse. "I was supposed to keep her safe, and I failed." He ran his hands over his face. Oliver's mind was already in overdrive as he tried to work out alternative ways to track her down and all the things he'd do to Merlyn when he eventually did.

"I've called my father," Laurel informed them. "The SCPD are on their way. My dad will find her, Ollie. He'll get her back."

Shaking his head, he stated, "There's nothing he can do."

"What do you mean?" Laurel questioned, perplexed by his statement. "Where are you going?"

Oliver kept on walking. "I have to go."

"Go where?"

"I have to find her."

"Oliver, be reasonable," Tommy called after him. "The best thing you can do is stay here and talk to the authorities. Let the SCPD do their job. Oliver. Oliver!"

Oliver ignored his friends' calls and went straight for the elevator. He and Diggle hurried inside before anyone else could join them.

"Do you think Merlyn knows you're The Arrow?" Diggle questioned.

"I don't know. I can't see how he could. If anything, she'd be publicly connected to Oliver Queen. She works for QC and with Ray who sold Merlyn the technology she was investigating."

"But why would Merlyn still be interested in that? And if he was so hell bent on preventing whatever Felicity found from getting out, why not just put an arrow in her like the others? Sorry," Diggle said when he noticed Oliver's flinch. "But you know what I mean. He purposely left behind things that belonged to her," he pointed out. "He wanted her abduction to be known."

"We'll figure it out." Oliver wasn't as concerned with why she was abducted at the moment. All that mattered was getting Felicity back.

"So where do we start?" Diggle inquired.

"I don't know yet. But I do know one thing," Oliver said in a low, menacing voice. "Merlyn's a dead man."

* * *

Oliver paced the length of the Foundry like a caged animal ready to spring at the first sign of movement. In this case, he was waiting for Diggle to trudge his way through the system Felicity had designed. The only reason Oliver wasn't snapping at him was because he knew Diggle was going as fast as he could. They'd come to rely so heavily on Felicity's tech and research skills that her absence now crippled them.

His phone had been ringing nonstop with calls from Tommy, Laurel, and even Detective Lance since he'd left Merlyn Global. Oliver ignored them. He didn't have time to play the part of Oliver Queen. The Arrow was in control now, and his top priority was to find Felicity. He could only imagine how scared she must be. He would never forget the way she stood outside his bedroom door the night Cooper had attacked her. She was nearly shaking as she babbled incessantly in an attempt to put up a brave front. Oliver had vowed that he would never let Cooper get that close to her again.

But this time it wasn't Cooper who was the threat. It was so much worse, because Merlyn was cold, calculating, and ruthless. He'd killed Oliver's mother without hesitation, and they'd supposedly been friends for years. There was no telling what he'd do to Felicity-someone who meant nothing to him and yet had the power to uncover his darkest secrets. Oliver couldn't let his mother's fate become Felicity's. He didn't think he could survive it.

"Tommy may have been right. I think I got something," Diggle announced moments later.

Oliver was by his side in an instant. "What is it?"

"It looks like Felicity was finally able to break into Merlyn's files. She uploaded them to our own server," Diggle explained as he searched through them.

"What's in them?"

"Looks like a lot of scientific data about the nanotech."

"Anything else?"

"Hold on. There's a lot here." Diggle clicked through more files, each one as useless as the one before.

"Damn it!" Oliver exclaimed when another ten minutes passed by without them finding a single lead. He slammed his hands on the nearby table and swiped the objects to the ground. "There's got to be something in there. Something that would put her on Merlyn's radar."

"Wait, I think I found something," Diggle declared, his eyes skimming the screen. "Oh, I definitely found something. Oliver, look."

Oliver stared at the monitor. It was another research report that meant absolutely nothing to him. "What am I supposed to be looking at?"

"The signature at the bottom. Look familiar?"

His eyes narrowed before widening at the sight of Dr. Houston's signature. "Son of a bitch."

"This folder is filled with files of reports and emails sent between Merlyn's research team and Dr. Houston at S.T.A.R. Labs," Diggle explained. "Merlyn was among the donors funding Dr. Houston's research. He was even letting Dr. Houston experiment with the nanomites."

"It's the smoking gun that ties Merlyn to the nanotech that Cooper stole."

"Not just that. Leading up to the Undertaking, there are several mentions of an unnamed formula with severe side effects on tests subjects."

"The performance enhancers," Oliver surmised. "Merlyn had them all along." It all made sense. "Cooper told Felicity that he was working with someone other than Petrov. Someone powerful and dangerous. It has to be Merlyn. They're in this together."

"Which means-"

"Cooper must've told him I'm The Arrow." Oliver cursed. Diggle had been right. Felicity's abduction had been staged. Merlyn wanted Oliver to know it was him. It wasn't just about Felicity uncovering the clues; it was payback.

"But how the hell did they meet?"

"I don't know, but Merlyn is the connection between Cooper and Petrov. Merlyn was living in Corto Maltese and was known around the island. Petrov got me all that intel, which probably put him on Merlyn's radar or vice versa." Oliver sighed and shook his head. "Going after Merlyn, it's why this is happening now."

"Oliver, this started long before we went to Corto Maltese," Diggle told him. "Merlyn destroyed this city and killed your mother. He had what was coming to him."

"If I'd finished the job, Felicity would be here right now," Oliver stated and walked over to the glass case with his Arrow suit. Staring at it, he said, "I fought him with everything I had, Diggle. I shot him with a tranq arrow and thought I had him, but he just kept coming after me. He was too strong. It was almost like..."

Diggle prodded, "It was almost like what?"

The realization was like a punch to the gut. Oliver couldn't believe that he hadn't put the pieces together sooner. He explained, "Merlyn must've injected himself with the formula. It's the only explanation for why he wasn't affected by my tranq arrow."

"If it warps the mind, that would explain his insane idea about the Undertaking."

Oliver shook his head. "Merlyn's always been a cold bastard, according to Tommy. The Undertaking was in the works long before he injected himself with the performance enhancers," he declared. "But now he's even more unstable. We _need_ to find Felicity."

"Well, since neither of us is particularly adept at hacking into the SCPD database, I can reach out to an old war buddy of mine. He has contacts in the police department. Maybe he can get us some more information."

Oliver nodded and walked over to one of the metal cabinets. "Yes, do that." He pulled out a burner phone with a built-in voice modulator. He'd sent another one to Detective Lance so that he could contact him with information on cases. Occasionally, Lance would follow through and accept his help. They were by no means on good terms, but the older man was willing to work with the vigilante when it came to protecting the greater good. If there was ever a time to reach out, it would be now.

"I thought you were done contacting Lance."

The last time he'd worked with Lance, the man had tried to corner him with a task force. Oliver had gotten away, but he knew that his time working with Lance had run out. The Undertaking had given Oliver more breathing room, since the cops were so overwhelmed by the chaos and escalating crime in The Glades. Their pursuit of The Arrow was no longer a priority. "We need to know what he knows. It's worth a try."

"I'll be back in a little while," Diggle informed him before heading out to meet with his friend.

Dialing the programmed number, Oliver waited for an answer. It took a few rings before someone picked up. " _Hello?_ "

Laurel's voice surprised Oliver. At one point, she'd stolen the phone from her father to contact the vigilante on her own. Her father had been furious when he eventually found out and had demanded the phone back. "Laurel? I was expecting to speak to your father."

" _I had a feeling you might call. And if not, I was going to reach out myself. My father's got his hands full right now with the Brother Eye case. I'm assuming you've been following it. The most recent development has been all over the news._ "

"Yes, I have," Oliver answered. "I heard a woman with past ties to the group's leader was abducted tonight."

" _Her name is Felicity Smoak. Cooper Seldon is her ex-boyfriend and allegedly the leader of the group. She was taken earlier tonight, but it wasn't by him. It was the Dark Archer. Have you heard of him?_ "

"Yes," Oliver gritted out. "He's dangerous. If he has this woman, there's no telling what he might do to her." He paced the length of the Foundry in an attempt to keep calm. He couldn't let Laurel know how deeply involved he actually was in all of this. It would make her suspicious.

" _My father can't figure out why he would take Felicity. My boyfriend Tommy Merlyn said she was looking into some matters internally for him at Merlyn Global. He thinks she found information his father had been trying to cover up. There might even be a connection somewhere to Brother Eye, but it doesn't make sense._ "

"I can find her, but I need information about the case and anything having to do with her abduction," Oliver said. If it had been any other time, the mere fact that Laurel had actually called Tommy her boyfriend again would've brought a smile to his face. But that would have to wait.

" _We need all the help we can get. I'll see what I can do_ ," Laurel replied before they set up a time to meet later. " _One more thing. This isn't just any case. Felicity has become a friend to me and other people I'm close to. One of my friends he...she's important to him, and he can't lose anyone else. Please do whatever you have to to find her._ "

Oliver, fighting back an unexpected wave of emotion and gratitude, took a minute to respond. "Trust me, I will."

* * *

"Did you get what you needed from Laurel?" Diggle asked.

Oliver handed him the case files, as well as the USB flash drive with the footage from Merlyn Global. He felt his phone ring for the fifth time that hour and groaned. Ray had been calling him nonstop. No doubt he'd heard of Felicity's abduction and was concerned. Oliver kept sending him to voicemail. He just couldn't deal with him right now.

"What about you? Your contact come through?" Oliver questioned.

"The police are working a few leads, but nothing solid. I did pass on Snitch's information about the Bratva headquarters to him. He's going to look into it, but no promises."

"The SCPD won't be able to do anything. Not without concrete proof. The Bratva know how to cover their tracks." Oliver would let Anatoly worry about that. He joined Diggle at the computers as he pulled up the security feed. They saw Felicity enter the mainframe room to start working while the security team took their positions.

They had to fast forward until they came to the part where Merlyn, dressed as the Dark Archer, came off the elevator. It wasn't much of a fight. He shot the men with cold, calculated precision. It's probably why Felicity hadn't heard anything to alert her that something was wrong. She also happened to be on the phone, but they couldn't hear what she was saying. Watching her face, Oliver could tell that Felicity was exasperated by whoever was on the phone. Then her expression became serious. She had that worried crinkle between her brows. He felt his hands twitch with the urge to smooth it away.

Within minutes, they tightened into fists. Felicity had bounded out of her seat, most likely after discovering Merlyn's involvement with Dr. Houston, and left the room to find the injured guards. She looked shocked and scared as she rushed toward the elevator. Her phone was in her hand once more as she pushed the elevator button frantically. That must've been when she tried to call him. Knowing that she'd been alone and terrified while he was only floors below twisted his insides.

The feeling only got worse when he saw her scream at the appearance of Merlyn. He'd been waiting for her and wasted no time gripping his hands around her neck and pulling her inside. Felicity was clearly screaming and struggling as much as she could until he placed a cloth over her mouth. It must've been chloroform or something like it, because her eyes immediately closed and her body went limp. Felicity was completely unconscious when Merlyn picked her up. After that, the cameras went blank. Oliver stared at the screen, resisting the urge to pick it up and hurl it across the room. Felicity would not appreciate him ruining her equipment-even if his rage was totally justified.

"I'm surprised he didn't have Cooper cut the cameras sooner," Diggle commented. "He's always been so secretive before."

"He did this on purpose, too," Oliver gritted out. "He wanted me to see him take her."

"What do we do now? We're still at square one with no leads on finding her."

Before Oliver could answer, his phone rang. He rolled his eyes, preparing to send Ray to voicemail once more, when he noticed it was a blocked number. Both hope and dread filled him. "Who is this?" he answered, not giving a damn about politeness. It wasn't something he was known for anyway.

" _Hello, Oliver_ ," Merlyn's deep, slick voice coolly greeted. " _Or should I say The Arrow. Finally, I can put a face to the man under the hood. It's been too long_."

"Where's Felicity?" he demanded, putting it on speaker and shooting a look at Diggle. His partner turned back to the computer and attempted to run a trace. At his low curse, Oliver knew it hadn't worked. Cooper would know how to thwart them easily.

" _She's quite safe for now._ "

"And I'm just supposed to believe that?" Oliver incredulously replied.

" _Would you like to say hi?_ "

There was a brief pause. " _Oliver,_ " Felicity's voice rang out.

His eyes closed for a moment in relief. "Felicity, are you okay? Where are you?"

" _Yes, I'm okay_ ," she confirmed, despite the slight tremor in her voice. She said in a jumbled rush, " _But don't listen to anything he and Cooper have to say, because it's definitely a trap!_ "

Oliver, though fearing for her safety, felt a sense of pride at her words. Not only was Felicity trying to be strong, she was letting him know that Cooper was connected in case he and Diggle hadn't already figured it out.

" _That's enough_ ," Merlyn interjected.

"I swear, if you so much as _breathe_ on her, I'll-" he threatened.

" _You'll do exactly as I say, Oliver, or you'll never see your harlot again_ ," Merlyn retorted. " _Well, you might see parts of her_."

It was taking every last ounce of willpower for Oliver not to lose control of his anger and sound calm. "What do you want, Malcolm?"

" _You're going to meet me tonight, and you're going to come alone. Otherwise Cooper-I'm sure you've heard all about him-may have to take matters into his own hands. The boy is still lovesick over her, but he's also quite bitter after her betrayal. I'd hate for Felicity to lose one of her fingers. It'll make it awfully hard to type, and she's much too valuable and pretty for that-despite the atrocious sweater._ "

"I'll come but when I do, you're releasing Felicity. You no longer need her if you have me."

" _Her release depends on if you can defeat me._ "

"I want to see her."

" _That's not possible at the moment._ "

"Then we don't have a deal."

" _You don't have a choice_ ," Merlyn replied and added for effect. " _She really does have such small, delicate hands. Doesn't she, Cooper?_ "

" _I see some of your nail polish has chipped on your index finger_ ," Cooper said in the background. " _Maybe that should be the first one to go._ "

There was a pause before he heard Felicity whimper. They were obviously doing something to her. He was overwhelmed by a mixture of rage and panic. "Don't," Oliver objected, mirroring Diggle's worried look. "Tell me when and where?"

Merlyn mentioned one of the old, abandoned Bratva warehouses on the edge of town. Oliver would meet him there at midnight to finish what they'd started in Corto Maltese.

" _Oliver, don't come. Don't-_ " Felicity started to shout in the background before her voice was muffled.

" _I expect your best tonight, Oliver_ ," Merlyn stated. " _Once and for all, we'll finally see who's the better archer_."

"I let you live once. I won't make that mistake again."

" _Until tonight_ ," Merlyn replied and the line went dead.

"Oliver, you can't go alone," Diggle spoke up. "He'll kill you."

"He's got Felicity, John. I don't have a choice." Oliver added more quietly, "I can't lose her, too."

"The last time-" he tried to reason.

"I know what happened," Oliver interrupted as he got his weapons together. He had two hours before he had to meet Merlyn, and he was going to make damn sure he used that time wisely. It wasn't just his life on the line this time. It was Felicity's.

"I'm coming with you," Diggle declared, refusing to back down.

Oliver was about to protest when his phone rang. It was Ray for the millionth time. Oliver sent him to voicemail yet again before turning to Diggle. "Merlyn wants me to go alone. He'll hurt Felicity if I don't, and I can't take that chance," he explained.

"But-" Diggle's protest was cut off when his phone rang. He looked at the number and frowned before answering. "Hello?" His eyebrows shot up as he listened to whoever was at the other end. "Hold on." Diggle covered the mouthpiece. "It's Ray. He needs to talk to you. He says it's urgent."

Oliver, frowning, took the phone from Diggle. "What is it, Ray?"

" _Finally_!" Ray exclaimed. " _I've been trying to reach you all night. I figured if I couldn't get you, then I'd have to get creative. Luckily, your bodyguard actually answers his phone. I heard about Felicity. Do you know if she's okay? Do the police have any leads?_ "

This was exactly why Oliver hadn't answered his phone. "There's nothing new."

"But you're trying to find her, right? Because, personally, a nightclub is the last place I'd be if-"

"Look, Ray, I'm doing everything I can to find Felicity. So I really can't talk right now," he retorted as a thought occurred to him. "Wait, how do you know I'm in a nightclub?"

"Hope you don't mind, but I pinged your phone. I'm in Verdant right now."

"Is there a particular reason why you felt the need to violate my privacy rights?" Oliver didn't even try to hide the annoyance in his voice. He honestly had no idea how Felicity could put up with him on a regular basis.

"Felicity isn't the only reason I'm calling," Ray replied. The explanation that followed made Oliver's eyes widen.

"What's going on?" Diggle asked when Oliver finally handed back his phone.

"Diggle, you can't come with me tonight. No matter what, I need you to stay behind." Oliver relayed the plan that was already unfolding in his head. "Do you understand?"

Diggle wasn't completely okay with it but nodded. "I won't let you down."

Oliver patted his shoulder. "I know. I'm counting on it."


	28. Chapter 28

**Thanks for the reviews, guys! Unfortunately, there are only a couple of chapters left in this story. A lot is revealed in this chapter, and I hope you guys enjoy it. I am also working on a new Olicity fic. You can find the summary on my profile page and the story banner on my twitter (Bindy_417). Happy reading and please review!**

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

Felicity yanked at the rope binding her to the chair and instantly regretted it. The more she struggled, the tighter it dug into the skin of her wrists and ankles. She didn't know how long she'd been unconscious. The last thing she remembered was being pulled into the elevator by a dark hooded figure. When she'd finally woken up and the fog in her mind cleared, panic had set in. The room was large and cold looking. Except for the station of computers, there was a lot of empty space. There was also a large screen on the wall across from the workstation that seemed to be showing a clock counting down.

After minutes of useless struggling, she heard voices. They sounded like they were speaking Russian. Men she didn't recognize had entered the room. They didn't say anything-only stared with blank eyes. They must have been injected with the serum. As horrible a thought as it was, Felicity couldn't help feeling relieved. They wouldn't do anything to her unless they were ordered. Felicity was well aware of the danger of the situation, but she'd been taken for a reason.

It was a couple of minutes later that she heard another set of footsteps. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Cooper beside Merlyn.

"Looks like Sleeping Beauty is finally awake," Cooper said, smirking. "Nice sweater, by the way. All that crazy Hanukkah crap really brings out the blue in your eyes."

"I should've known you'd be working with the devil," Felicity replied.

Cooper shrugged. "I have to admit I'm disappointed, Felicity, that you didn't put the clues together sooner. Guess you're not the genius you think you are."

"It has nothing to do with clues, really. I just should've known you'd be incapable of pulling something off this grand by yourself," Felicity shot back. "After all, it was my expertise you'd needed all these years to make Brother Eye work."

That wiped the smirk right off of Cooper's face. He recovered quickly, though. "You're not the only one with rich, powerful friends."

"So much for your cause. I thought you hated corporate types."

"You know what I hate even worse?" He didn't give her a chance to answer. "Losing."

"Hello, Miss Smoak, I don't think we've been properly introduced," Merlyn greeted with an eerie charm and smile. "I'm Malcolm Merlyn."

"I know exactly who you are."

"Then you know that despite the less-than-stellar accommodations, I only use force when I'm provoked. Which means that we're not going to have any problems, and you're going to be a model hostage for us, right?"

"Actually, I was going to go with mass murderer. So, yeah, that doesn't inspire much confidence about my safety."

Merlyn smiled, unruffled. "You have a great fire in you. I can see why Oliver cares for you. I've known him for years, and he's always had a thing for strong women. At first glance"-he eyed her sweater distastefully-"you don't really seem like much. But when Cooper filled me in on your abilities and we saw that you'd hacked into my mainframe, I was compelled to believe him."

"What do you want from me?"

"Unlike Mr. Seldon, I don't want anything from you. You're simply a means to an end for me. I want a second chance to defeat The Arrow, and you're the only guarantee that he won't run off like a coward again."

"Oliver is not a coward," Felicity defended. "He's dedicated his life to saving the people of this city, including me. He's a hero."

"Not exactly your best argument," Cooper cut in, " since because of his lack of ability to protect you, you're now our hostage."

"You're both in for a world of hurt." At their incredulous expressions, she pushed on, "I'm serious. I've become something of an expert in all things 'Arrow,' and you guys are gonna be on the receiving end of a butt-kicking I can only describe as epic." She glared at Cooper. "Especially you. We both know you wouldn't last two seconds against him if you weren't hiding behind Darth Vader over here."

"Dark Archer," Merlyn corrected.

"Same difference. You're both into black, kill people, and are terrible fathers."

"My son has finally taken his rightful place in the company. He's much stronger than he was," Merlyn declared. "That's because of me."

"Tommy is a good person and a good boss _in spite_ of you. He would never condone this. If anything, he's ashamed of what his father has become."

Merlyn took a step forward, his eyes penetrating. "Do not attempt to lecture me, little girl, on things you can't possibly understand."

"Aside from your insane paternal logic, I'm also having trouble understanding your little countdown over there," Felicity said and nodded toward the clock. Whatever it signaled, it wasn't far off. There were only two and a half hours left on it. "It's a little early for New Year's."

His diabolical grin was back. "All will come to light soon enough." He then pulled out his phone. "Speaking of, Oliver must be very worried about you by now. Maybe we should give him a call."

Her heart raced at the prospect of talking to Oliver. Even if it was because Merlyn intended to threaten him, she needed to hear his voice and let him know that she was okay. He must be going out of his mind right now. In between trying to figure out how to find her, he was probably blaming himself.

Merlyn placed the phone at his ear. "Hello, Oliver," his deep, slick voice coolly greeted. "Or should I say The Arrow. Finally, I can put a face to the man under the hood. It's been too long."

Whatever Oliver was saying brought a satisfied grin to Merlyn's face. "She's quite safe for now." Another pause. "Would you like to say hi?"

Felicity absently strained at her bindings as she leaned forward. She wished she could snatch the phone right out of Merlyn's hand.

"Don't disappoint me," Merlyn warned as he put it on speaker phone. He held it in front of her face.

"Oliver _,_ " Felicity exclaimed. She tried to sound strong but was unable to hide the slight tremor in her voice.

" _Felicity, are you okay? Where are you_?" he demanded.

Despite her precarious situation, his voice soothed her slightly. "Yes, I'm okay," she reassured him. Her tendency to ramble came in handy with her next words. She needed to get them out fast and warn him. "But don't listen to anything they have to say, because it's definitely a trap!"

"That's enough," Merlyn interjected and pulled the phone away.

" _I swear, if you so much as_ breathe _on her, I'll-_ " Oliver threatened. He was barely keeping his anger in check, she could tell.

"You'll do exactly as I say, Oliver, or you'll never see your harlot again," Merlyn retorted. "Well, you might see parts of her."

Felicity's eyes widened in horror. What the hell did that mean?

" _What do you want, Malcolm?_ "

"You're going to meet me tonight, and you're going to come alone. Otherwise, Cooper may have to take matters into his own hands. The boy is still lovesick over her, but he's also quite bitter after her betrayal. I'd hate for Felicity to lose one of her fingers. It'll make it awfully hard to type, and she's much too valuable and pretty for that-despite the atrocious sweater."

Felicity swallowed the bile rising in her throat. There was no way Cooper could stomach hurting her-at least when it came to dismemberment. Observing the hard look in his eyes, she realized that although he couldn't do it himself, Cooper also wouldn't stop it from happening.

" _I'll come but when I do, you're releasing Felicity. You no longer need her if you have me._ "

"Her release depends on if you can defeat me _._ "

" _I want to see her._ "

Felicity's heart leapt at that. She wanted nothing more than to see him and run straight into his arms. She would do anything to get out of this nightmare.

"That's not possible at the moment."

" _Then we don't have a deal._ "

"You don't have a choice," Merlyn replied, looking smug, and added for effect, "She really does have such small, delicate hands. Doesn't she, Cooper?"

Cooper lifted her hand. It only went so far, since it was strapped to the chair handles. "I see some of your nail polish has chipped on your index finger. Maybe that should be the first one to go."

Felicity shrank back from him. She tried not to react but ended up crying out in pain when Cooper twisted her finger.

" _Don't_ ," Oliver growled. His voice was resigned. " _Tell me when and where?_ "

Merlyn, grinning as if he'd already won, mentioned one of the old, abandoned Bratva warehouses on the edge of town. Oliver would meet him there at midnight to finish what they'd started in Corto Maltese. The very idea of Oliver facing off against him again, especially after the injuries he'd suffered last time, scared Felicity more than anything.

"Oliver, don't come. Don't-" Felicity tried to discourage him before Cooper covered her mouth with his hand. She couldn't let him walk into a trap on her behalf. The odds would already be stacked against him.

"I expect your best tonight, Oliver," Merlyn stated. "Once and for all, we'll finally see who's the better archer."

Oliver's voice took on a deep, menacing tone. He was in full Arrow mode. " _I let you live once. I won't make that mistake again._ "

"Until tonight," Merlyn replied and ended the call.

Sick of having her voice stifled, Felicity bit Cooper's hand. He yelped, cursing, and quickly removed it. "You bitch."

"Don't you dare touch me, you rat."

Cooper grabbed her face in a painful grip. "I'll do whatever the fuck I want. I'm running the show here. Don't test me, babe."

"Correction," Merlyn interrupted. "This is my operation."

Letting her go, Cooper turned around to face Merlyn. "We agreed that we're partners."

"Partners under my leadership. I promised her safety, and I'm a man of my word. She's not to be harmed unless I say otherwise."

"You do what you want with your prize. I'll do what I want with mine," Cooper argued, not backing down. "Felicity is mine, and Oliver's not getting her back-even if your old ass does manage to beat him."

Merlyn was quiet for a moment. His face blank. There was no way to tell what he was thinking with that scary-calm demeanor, but she got the feeling that there was something brewing under the surface. A minute later, Felicity was proven right. Merlyn reached out and grabbed Cooper. He easily twisted him around with his arm bent at a painful angle behind his back. Cooper cried out in pain.

"You already endangered our plans once by using the men without my consent to show off at the restaurant. If you do anything else to upset my plans, I will _end_ you. I don't have time for your petty breakup drama."

"You still need me for the next phase," Cooper stated. "You and Petrov never would've gotten this far with the nanotech if it wasn't for me. Remember that."

"When I initially came to you, I promised we would be in this together. But now that I have Felicity-you were right about her skills, by the way-you can easily be replaced. So I suggest you stick to the plan and refrain from doing anything else foolish. Otherwise, after I'm finished with Oliver, you'll be next. Understood?" He tightened his grip on Cooper for emphasis, causing him to wince.

"Yes, I get it."

"Glad we understand each other." Merlyn finally let Cooper go. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with The Arrow. I expect everything to go off without a hitch while I'm gone."

"I won't let you down."

Merlyn turned to Felicity. "Anything you'd like me to tell Oliver for you."

She couldn't tell if he was serious or simply trying to taunt her. It was probably a little bit of both, but it made no difference. Felicity definitely had a message for Oliver. She smiled confidently. "Sure. Tell him I said to kick your ass."

* * *

Oliver showed up at the warehouse early to scope out the area. It was eerily quiet, which was probably why Merlyn had chosen this location. No one was around for miles. It would just be the two of them. He wondered if Felicity was nearby. Oliver hated everything about this meeting. If he could just see Felicity for a moment, he'd be able to tell if she was really okay-or as okay as she could be in a dangerous hostage situation with her psycho ex and a homicidal madman.

Instead, he had to show up to this remote location alone with absolutely no assurance of her safety. Even if he did beat Merlyn, that still left him with the dilemma of not knowing her exact location. What would Cooper or Petrov do if they found out the muscle and money behind this grand scheme were gone? Desperation could drive people to do horrible things. Hence, why he'd agreed to a situation in which the deck was clearly stacked against him.

Finally, it was time. Oliver entered the warehouse cautiously. At least this time he knew exactly who he was dealing with. He'd fought Merlyn before, and Oliver would be damned if he made the same mistakes twice-especially with Felicity's life on the line.

"Right on time," echoed Merlyn's voice. "If only you were as punctual as when you're playing CEO."

"I'm only late, because I'm busy taking out scum like you."

"And yet, you haven't killed anyone in at least a few months," Merlyn said, still hidden somewhere in the shadows. "I have to wonder if you're going soft."

"Why don't you stop hiding and find out?" Oliver retorted as he took a few more silent steps forward. He was also sticking to the shadows as he tried to pinpoint Merlyn's location. The warehouse was dark and dank like any other but oddly cluttered.

"Although, maybe it isn't so much you as it is that cute little blonde," he taunted. "Felicity...such a beautiful, delicate name."

Oliver's body was tense as he resisted rising to Merlyn's bait. "Enough talking. Let's do this," he challenged.

"Yes, let's," Merlyn replied.

Out of the corner of his eye, Oliver noticed movement. He turned just in time to avoid getting an arrow in the chest. Merlyn was dressed in the same garb as last time, except his hood was down.

"Your tricks won't work on me this time."

Merlyn grinned smugly at Oliver. "We'll see about that."

With lightening fast reflexes, Oliver drew back his bow and fired. Merlyn dodged the arrow but just barely as Oliver fired another one. It grazed his shoulder at the last second, drawing blood.

Merlyn looked at his arm. "First blood."

"Won't be the last," Oliver promised.

"On that we agree." Merlyn charged at him, and Oliver raised his bow and arms to block his blows. He tried to deliver a couple of his own, but Merlyn was just as quick to defend himself.

Oliver pulled away from him and fired another arrow. Then another that barely missed Merlyn's head.

"Don't think I don't know your strategy," Merlyn commented as they circled each other.

"And what is that?"

"You're keeping your distance on purpose. By now, you know that I've been taking the performance enhancers myself. You know that against me you don't stand a chance at hand-to-hand, which is why you're trying so hard to make a kill shot. Anything less won't cut it."

"The cut on your arm proves you're not invincible," Oliver pointed out.

Merlyn swiped the cut with his other hand. His fingers were barely covered in blood. "A cut that is already healing."

Oliver fired another shot regardless. Merlyn avoided that one, too, before charging at Oliver. He grabbed onto a low-hanging pipe and swung forward, kicking at Oliver's chest. The wind was knocked out of Oliver momentarily as he hit the ground. He got up quickly, though, and landed a punch to Merlyn's face and gut as they faced off. Oliver swiped his bow at Merlyn's head, but it ended up decapitating some random statue. There were odd items and boxes everywhere with God knows what kind of merchandise. Oliver dodged a kick from Merlyn, which landed on the statue's chest. The entire thing was obliterated to jagged pieces on the ground.

Oliver hit Merlyn again but was no match for the older man's enhanced strength. Merlyn hit him in the face a few times before grabbing Oliver and slamming him into a crate facedown. Reaching for one of his tranq arrows, Oliver swung his arm back and jammed it into Merlyn's thigh.

"It seems you didn't completely learn your lesson. Your little sedatives won't work on me," he declared and pulled it out.

"You never know," Oliver grunted as he fought to free himself from Merlyn. "Maybe I finally got the recipe right."

"Seeing as though the only genius in your group is being held hostage by me, I highly doubt that." Merlyn punched him in the side.

Oliver, grunting in pain, threw all his weight back and twisted so Merlyn slammed into the crate. They rolled to the side and onto the floor, both grappling for an advantage. Merlyn knocked Oliver's bow from his hands as Oliver kicked him off. He then got up and shoved Merlyn into the metal beam behind him with all his strength. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. Merlyn got a hold of Oliver and flipped him onto the floor. Seconds barely passed before Merlyn was kicking him in the back and sides. It was even harder for Oliver to catch his breath this time around.

He grunted as excruciating pain radiated throughout his body. _Felicity_ , Oliver kept repeating in his mind. He had to do this to get to Felicity. She was counting on him. Oliver caught Merlyn's foot and then kicked his legs out from under him. Merlyn fell partially on top of Oliver, his weight far heavier than he looked. Oliver tried to roll away, but Merlyn wasn't incapacitated for long.

He pinned Oliver to the ground and got in his face. "You Queens have always thought you were better than me. First your father and then your mother, but I showed them. Now it's time you learned your place, Oliver." He punched Oliver in the jaw a couple of times before fixing his hands around his neck. Oliver struggled against his grip, but it was useless. Merlyn was too strong.

The lack of oxygen made Oliver's lungs heave and his head spin. He could feel himself losing control. His mind and body shutting down as the darkness crept in at the edges of his spotty vision. It couldn't end this way. It couldn't. He still had so much he needed to do. So many things he needed to say. One desire surpassed them all and made the shadows a little more bearable. _Felicity, Felicity, Felicity_...

* * *

 _He was delirious. Oliver was hungry and thirsty, too, but so far the fatigue was winning out. He wasn't sure how many days they'd been drifting at sea, but it felt like forever._

 _His father shifted next to him and squeezed his shoulders. "Oliver."_

 _Oliver's eyes remained shut. He knew that his father was going to start babbling his nonsense again about the problems in Starling and his role in destroying the city. The days of barely eating and drinking must be getting to him, too._

 _"You can survive this," Robert started. "Make it home. Make it better. Right my wrongs."_

 _Oliver felt himself being pushed aside. The next thing he knew, a gunshot sounded and a splash followed. Oliver opened his eyes to see the former crew member bobbing in the water, dead. "Dad?" Oliver scrambled away from his father, barely recognizing him._

 _"Survive," his father said before turning the gun on himself and pulling the trigger. He lay limply in the raft with blood pooling from the wound. Oliver felt like he was going to be sick. He was lost and alone, drifting farther and farther away from everything he'd known and cared about. And his father...how could he leave him? How could he pull the trigger right in front of him? Oliver was about to start hyperventilating when another voice rang out-much softer yet more urgent._

 _"Oliver, Oliver..." it repeated in the distance, getting closer by the second. "Oliver!"_

 _He knew that voice. Oliver didn't know how, but somehow he knew that voice. Before he could figure it out, a wave rose up and headed straight for the raft. Oliver looked around for an escape, but there was nowhere to go. It loomed over him and crashed over his face, flooding his nose and mouth. His father had killed himself for nothing. Oliver was going to drown anyway as the selfish, spoiled party boy. That was going to be his legacy without any possible hope of redemption._

 _"Oliver. No, don't!" the voice rang out one last time._

Oliver sputtered, choking on water as his eyes flew open. He was in another dark and dank area but with much more open space. Immediately, as he attempted to get his bearings, Oliver noticed that his movements were restricted. He was shirtless and his hands were bound by a chain hanging from the tall ceiling overhead.

"Oliver, are you okay?" a female voice questioned, anxious.

Looking over, Oliver saw a young blond woman-wearing the tackiest sweater he'd ever seen-chained to the floor at the ankle. Every time she tried to get up, she was pulled back down. "Oliver, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

It took a moment for Oliver's mind to adjust. When he recognized Felicity, he instinctively tried to go to her. The chains dug at his wrists, preventing him from moving. "Felicity, you're all right."

A frown marred her beautiful face. "I told you not to come, you idiot!"

"Actually, the only reason he's here is because Malcolm beat his ass," a male voice interjected. Finally, Oliver was face to face with Cooper. He stood a few feet away with a metal bucket in his hand. So he was the one throwing the water.

Oliver ignored him and met her concerned, yet loving gaze. "You know I'll always come for you, Felicity." She didn't have to say anything back. Oliver could tell how much his words meant to her by the small smile on her face and the unshed tears shining in her eyes.

"Oh, please," Cooper scoffed. "You're making me want to hurl into this bucket. You know, I never took you for such a sap, babe." He turned to Oliver, surveying him up and down. "So this is the grand hero you left me for. I never would've guessed that self-centered playboy Oliver Queen was actually the vigilante. What's the matter? Did it get too boring having the world at your fingertips? Did the leather costume spice things up for you?"

"Most people fail to see the real me." His eyes landed back on Felicity, who met his stare just as intensely.

"She was mine first," Cooper said petulantly. "I was with her back when she was still an idealistic, confused teenager. She had the sexy Goth thing going as she tried to find her place in the world. I brought her into the hacktivist group and gave her purpose. _Me_." He turned to Felicity. " _I_ made you. We could've had everything, Felicity. I would've given you everything. But then you stabbed me in the back."

"First of all, I was skilled and brilliant long before I met you. Second, all this 'you betrayed me and we could've had it all' blah blah blah is really starting to get annoying. You sound like a broken record, Coop," Felicity retorted. "Most people suffering from a breakup just listen to Adele and binge on ice cream. They don't throw a hissy fit by terrorizing an entire city."

"That's some tough talk, Felicity." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a knife. "But you never know how you'll react until you lose someone you love."

Oliver immediately tensed and yanked at his chains. If Cooper so much as pricked her finger, Oliver would make him pay. Instead, Cooper started walking in his direction. Oliver was momentarily filled with relief. Despite being chained up, he could handle Cooper.

"Cooper, don't," Felicity warned.

As soon as Cooper was within range, Oliver kicked out at him and knocked the knife out of his hands. He wasted no time landing a debilitating kick to his gut, sending Cooper flying backward. It was difficult for Cooper to get up right away, what with the wind knocked out of him.

"Don't make threats you can't carry out, kid," Oliver replied, smirking. He'd been wanting to pummel the guy ever since Felicity had first come to him for help.

A door opened off to the side, revealing Merlyn. He stood in the doorway and took in the scene. "I told you not to get close to him," Merlyn stated, not all that concerned that his partner just got his ass handed to him by their prisoner. He redirected his attention to Oliver. "I hope I didn't hurt you too badly earlier. That wasn't my intention-not so soon at least. First I'd like to help you understand. I'm not the bad guy in all of this, despite what you believe."

"You murdered my father," Oliver growled. "You sentenced me to that island. To five years of hell."

"I am truly sorry for what happened to you. You were not my intended target. You know that I have lost people."

"Yes, your wife. Do you really think that you've honored Tommy's mother by killing thousands in The Glades and whatever else you, Cooper, and Petrov are planning now?"

Merlyn held up Oliver's suit and replied, "As surely as you believe you're honoring your father with this hood. Not a day goes by that I don't miss your father. Your mother, too."

"Don't you dare speak of my mother!" Oliver shouted. "I watched you kill her in cold blood. In our own home."

"The truth is I've always admired your mother. She was a strong woman and quite ruthless when it came to protecting her family. We had that in common. It's why I never thought she'd sell me out. It's not unlike what Miss Smoak here did to Cooper. They had an agreement. A plan they'd built until she lost her nerve and ruined everything," Merlyn explained. "Just like your mother almost thwarted the Undertaking. I had to send a message to her and my skittish allies. Betrayal will not be tolerated."

"Tommy always said you were a monster. He was right."

"It doesn't matter what I am. My actions have always been to help purge this city of its corruption. Of the lowlifes who targeted my kind and beautiful wife, who did nothing but devote her life to a bunch of ungrateful animals! They let her bleed out in the street, and so they deserve the same fate," he shouted in a fit of rage. He took a moment to compose himself once more. "I thought the Undertaking would take care of it, but the lawless continue to destroy Starling from within. Like any good businessman, I always have a Plan B."

He took something out of his jacket. It was a remote control. For the first time, Oliver noticed the flat screen TV on the wall above where Felicity was chained. Merlyn turned it on to the local news. The Brother Eye symbol filled the screen before the news anchor started explaining about the city-wide hack. All devices had been interrupted by Brother Eye, followed by strange behavior in countless civilians. People took to the streets to destroy property and pick fights with one another. The individuals effected were exhibiting unprecedented strength and violent tendencies. The news showed a street not too far over from where the loft was located. Cars were turned over and on fire as other people wrestled on the ground. Police officers were trying to break it up but had gotten injured themselves.

"Oh my God," Felicity gasped.

"What did you do?" Oliver muttered, staring at the headlines in horror.

"We needed to find a way to mass distribute the performance enhancers with the nanotech. Petrov has a lot of connections. One of his associates works for a pharmaceutical company that manufactures the flu vaccine. I'm sure you've seen the health truck making its way around town offering shots."

"You replaced the vaccine with your serum," Felicity surmised.

"That was only the first stage of the plan," Cooper cut in. He was upright and breathing normally now. Though Oliver did note with immense satisfaction that he was holding himself in an odd way. Cooper must have some bruised ribs from the kick he'd given him. "The nanotech was in the serum but remained dormant until prompted. I activated them about an hour ago. The Brother Eye message served as a trigger."

"You embedded the message with commands, which they're forced to carry out because of the Cortana in the drug."

"Very good, Miss Smoak. I'm impressed," Merlyn replied.

Felicity could care less whether he approved of her reasoning. "So I've been meaning to ask, what's your story?"

"What story?"

"The 'How We Met' story," she said, making air quotes. "You, Cooper, and Petrov aren't exactly the most obvious evil trio. How did you even meet?"

"And where is Petrov?" Oliver added. "He seems like the type who wouldn't miss an opportunity to gloat."

"Petrov wanted to be here but he, unfortunately, is dealing with Bratva drama. It seems some of his own are hunting him. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" Malcolm eyed the tattoo on Oliver's chest.

"Not a thing." Oliver's hard stare remained. "Go ahead. Tell us how you crazy kids got together." Felicity's sarcasm was definitely starting to rub off on him.

Malcolm grinned, unaffected. "Despite my recent residence in Corto Maltese, I've still been keeping tabs on Tommy and my company. Needless to say, I wasn't pleased when I heard the news of the cyber attack on Merlyn Global. I was going to find the culprit and put an end to him. Some of my more underhanded associates tracked down Cooper. I confronted him as the Dark Archer and was about to kill him when he started pleading with me to spare him. He said he had information about The Arrow's identity." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'll admit that I should've put the clues together sooner. Oliver, you would've had access to the list for the Undertaking. Plus, you mentioned Moira specifically when we fought."

"So you decided to team up to destroy the city yet again," Oliver angrily replied.

"Pretty much, yes," Merlyn acknowledged. "Because our need for revenge aligned, we decided to be partners going forward. I also brought Petrov in soon after. He was quite miffed that you backed out on that drug deal after he provided you with all that information about me. When I learned about the effects of the Cortana, I knew that it was the missing piece of the puzzle. Finally, my investment in the nanotech would pay off. After we sought out The Count and then The Cook to get the recipe right, all we had to do was wait for the right time to put our plan into motion. And here we are."

"That's why I couldn't find Cooper's trail at all in Merlyn Global's system," Felicity muttered. "It didn't exist. He didn't have to hack the system, because he had your passcodes."

"Right again, Miss Smoak."

"Why now?" Oliver demanded.

"We were going to wait a bit longer to make it closer to the holidays, but Miss Smoak here dug a little too deep. She would've jeopardized our entire operation if she'd gone to you. As I'm sure you know by now, I do love the element of surprise. Now you're here, defeated and powerless to stop it."

"You won't get away with this."

"But I already have. When the city has effectively destroyed itself and the authorities conduct their investigation, they'll be able to trace back the performance enhancers straight to your company. Why do you think I killed the Unidac team and not the scientists working on the enhancement formula? I needed more leverage against your mother-and now you-if the time ever came. Queen Consolidated will never be able to recover from its involvement in yet another city-wide disaster. My son and Merlyn Global, however, will be stronger than ever."

Oliver met Merlyn's stare, disgusted by the malice in his eyes. "Even in death you're trying to one up my parents."

"Only the strong survive in this world. You obviously learned that from your time on the island."

Oliver pulled at his chains, wishing he could break them free and lunge at Merlyn. There was a slight twitch in the older man's hand, but he remained composed.

"I know what you're thinking. You can't beat me, Oliver," Merlyn declared. "Yes, you're younger and you're faster and yet you always seem to come up short against me. Want to know why?"

"Because you've turned yourself into some kind of science experiment."

"Because you don't know, in your heart, what you're fighting for. What you're willing to sacrifice and I do." He threw the hood on the ground and nodded to Cooper. When Cooper went to turn off the TV, Merlyn halted him. "Leave it. Let them see the consequences of their actions and watch it burn."

"Fine by me." Cooper grinned at Felicity. "Enjoy the show, babe. I'll be back to show you the encore later."

"No one can stop what's already been set in motion," Merlyn called over his shoulder, stepping on the hood on his way out. "Not even The Arrow."


	29. Chapter 29

**As always, thank you guys for taking the time to review! I love reading your comments. This is the second to last chapter, so I hope you enjoy it. Lots of things happen. Please read and review!**

* * *

 **Chapter 29**

As soon as the door shut and locked behind Merlyn, Oliver turned his full attention to Felicity. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

Felicity shook her head at him, both touched and annoyed by his concern. "Oliver, you just fought an evil madman. Your face is all bruised and bloody, and you are hanging by chains. Don't worry about me. I'm more worried about you!" she exclaimed, wishing so badly that she could go to him.

"I've had worse," he said gruffly and yanked at the chains. They were sturdy, unfortunately.

"Was there a Red Room of Pain on the island?" He stared at her, confused, to which she muttered, "Nevermind."

"Felicity, I need to know. Do you have any injuries?" Oliver questioned, serious.

"No. I'm tired, dirty, and I'm sure my hair looks like a hot mess but physically I'm fine. Well, almost," she amended and lifted up her wrists to show the bruises from being tied to the chair hours before. The metal from the chain on her ankle was also digging into her flesh, and it was starting to turn red and swell slightly.

There was a sound of an explosion on screen. They watched the news footage of the chaos that was Starling in horror. Half the people in the streets were running for their lives from the other half that were tearing everything apart. Fires broke out and vandalism and violence ensued. The people who had been injected with the serum were like mindless drones as they carried out whatever orders Cooper had programmed into them. Drones with the strength of ten men put together.

Felicity gasped when she saw a young boy who couldn't be more than ten years old pick up a bench and effortlessly throw it through the window of a restaurant. The so-called experts on the news were just as baffled as the reporters. The only course of action the city could take at the moment was to send out the SCPD in riot gear to try and detain the mob. Even that was proving to be a challenge, since the police were no match against the strength of those that were injected.

Oliver's voice was low, coarse, and full of regret. "I'm so sorry, Felicity. I didn't know. Five years ago...I was a completely different person. I had no idea what was brewing in this city or how my family was involved. I still didn't fully know even after I got back and became The Arrow. I failed it by not stopping the Undertaking, and I vowed to myself that I would never let anything like that happen again."

"Oliver, what's happening is not your fault."

"Yes, it is," Oliver replied, finally meeting her eyes. "You're not supposed to be here. I was supposed to protect you, just like I vowed to protect this city. I've lost far too many people in my life. Wearing the hood...it was meant to honor those people. I was supposed to help others, so they would never have to endure what I did."

"You honor the dead by fighting." Felicity continued forcefully, "And you are not done fighting! Before I came to Starling, I heard all about the terrible people you faced. The Count, the Triad, Bronze Tiger, the Dollmaker...everyone who has tried to hurt this city, you stopped them. It was that selfless honor and bravery that led me straight to you, Oliver. Despite everything-even being chained up in some dark, creepy compound with a mass murderer and my jackass of an ex-boyfriend-I don't regret it. Not for a second. I don't know how we will stop Cooper and Merlyn, but I do know two things. You are not alone." Her eyes bore into his. "And I believe in you."

Oliver was quiet for a moment. Then: "Merlyn said I don't know what I'm fighting for."

"He's crazy, Oliver, which automatically makes him wrong," Felicity declared, leaving no room for argument.

Her certainty brought a small smile to Oliver's face. He shook his head at her, in that way he always did when she amazed him. "I know he's wrong."

"Good."

Oliver watched Felicity for a moment, taking her in. Regardless of the chain around her ankle and her disheveled state, he'd never seen her look more fierce or determined. It was that fire inside of her that ignited his own. He'd been so afraid before to let it burn, thinking it would consume him completely. In a way, it had. But not how Oliver had originally thought. Instead of it going out, it only burned brighter. Oliver had lost all control, and yet he'd never felt stronger.

"I know exactly what I'm fighting for, Felicity. It's why I came here tonight. When I learned that you'd been taken...I nearly lost my mind. I don't know if I've ever been so scared. I know what I'm willing to sacrifice, and it's not you. It will _never_ be you." His words seemed to echo in the room.

"Oliver, what are you saying?" Felicity questioned, just barely above a whisper. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest as the raw emotion reflected back at her in his piercing blue eyes.

"I'm saying that, in my heart, I'm fighting for you. For us. When I first put on the hood, I knew it could lead to my death. I expected it, and I accepted it. I was in darkness, Felicity. But then I met you, and everything changed. With your kindness, your quirkiness, your generosity, your intelligence, your compassion, and your trust, you brought me into the light. You've managed to open my heart in a way that I didn't think would ever be possible," Oliver revealed. He took a deep breath, finally ready to tell her how he felt. "I love you, Felicity. I'm _in_ love with you."

Felicity sat, staring at him in shock. After a few seconds, his words clicked and her heart swelled. She wiped at her eyes, which had started to water. Even though she'd known deep down that Oliver loved her, finally hearing the words lifted the tremendous weight that had been wearing on her heart. It was like the final puzzle piece had slid into place, and she was whole.

"I love you, too," Felicity tenderly replied. "So much. If I wasn't chained to the ground, I would totally be kissing you right now."

Oliver chuckled at that. "I certainly wouldn't stop you."

She huffed and teased, "Did you really have to wait until we were held captive to tell me?"

"Like you said, I'm an idiot."

Felicity shook her head, staring at him in admiration. "No, you're not. You're a hero. You're _my_ hero. I know it probably wasn't the ideal plan, but thank you for trying to rescue me."

Oliver swallowed the lump in his throat at her words. He wanted nothing more than to take Felicity in his arms and tell her that everything was going to be all right. But first he had to break free of his chains. "Don't thank me. I'm not finished yet." He looked at the TV screen. "It's been almost two hours since I fought Merlyn."

"Oliver," Felicity said, watching him carefully, "what do you mean?" She could practically see the wheels in his mind turning. He had that sharp, calculating look that he got in his eyes when strategizing. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Let's just say I didn't actually lose to Merlyn. At least not in the way he thinks."

Felicity frowned in confusion. "I don't understand."

"I don't know if I could've taken out Merlyn, but I wasn't fighting to my full capacity, Felicity."

"You wanted to get caught," she realized.

"Yes. As soon as he refused to trade you for me, I knew that he wasn't going to kill me in our fight. Merlyn's ego is so big, he'd want to gloat in his victory-which would include continuing to use you to get to me."

"Oliver, what if you'd been wrong? He could've killed you!" Felicity exclaimed, horrified by the alternate scenario.

"Even if I did kill him, I still wouldn't know where you were. I had to let him beat me, so I would be taken to you. That's all that mattered."

Felicity took in the scratches and bruises on his body, amazed at Oliver's strength. He'd endured all of that so he could find her. Felicity didn't know how it was possible, but she'd fallen in love with Oliver even more. "Is that why Dig didn't come with you? Where is he?" After the last time Oliver faced Merlyn, she couldn't imagine John letting him face that monster without him.

"Merlyn said to come alone," Oliver answered as he glanced at his chains again. He gave them another tug.

"But Dig is nearby, right? He knows where we are?" Felicity questioned. Oliver's lack of response was making her nervous.

"Felicity," Oliver stated in the low voice he often soothed her with. "Trust me."

"Of course I trust you. I just hate being out of the loop. Like, how the heck are we supposed to get out of these chains and then take on a mini army of criminals with a severe case of roid rage?" Oliver didn't answer right away. In fact, he wasn't even looking at her. His eyes were transfixed on his chains. "Oliver. Oliver, what are you doing?"

Felicity watched in fascination as Oliver let out a grunt and hoisted himself up. He was hanging completely upside down and wrapped his feet around the chains. A second later, he started pulling his body up the chains. Her mouth dropped open at the way his muscles rippled and flexed with every tug upward. He kept going higher and higher, making her both anxious and unexpectedly turned on. Just when she thought she'd seen the height of his power and strength, he surprised her yet again.

Finally, Oliver stopped. He paused for a moment, steadying himself, before letting go completely. Felicity gasped loudly as she watched him fall. The speed with which he dropped combined with the force of the impact to the ground made the pipes overhead break. Water spurted out as Oliver landed with a cry on his back on the concrete floor.

"Oliver!" Felicity exclaimed. She tried to crawl toward him, but her chains kept her out of reach. "Oliver, are you okay?"

He didn't stay on the ground long. The door to their cell opened, and the guard came rushing in. He'd obviously heard the big commotion. Oliver was already up and reaching into his boot. He pulled out the smallest tranq arrow she'd ever seen and threw it at the man's neck. Then Oliver used his chains to hit him in the head. The guard went down instantly.

Afterward, Oliver peeked his head out of the door. Satisfied that no one else had heard or was coming, Oliver grabbed the keys off of the guard. He took the chains off and went to Felicity. Her hair and sweater were nearly soaked from the water spurting out of the pipes. Once he'd gotten the chains off of her, she launched herself at him. Oliver flinched slightly as he landed on the floor once more with Felicity on top of him. He didn't dare let go, though.

"That was so hot," she blurted before kissing him. Felicity could feel his smile against her lips as their mouths connected in a passionate frenzy.

When Oliver pulled back briefly to check out her wrists, she examined the cuts on his face. She ran her fingers over them lightly before placing kisses on the tender skin. "I'll kill him myself for doing this to you," she murmured.

Oliver pressed his lips to her wrist and couldn't help but grin at her protectiveness. "I thought you didn't like killing."

"I don't but...Merlyn's dangerous, Oliver. As I said before, if it comes down to you or the bad guy, of course I choose you. You do what you have to," she said, wanting him to know that she was with him no matter what.

"God, I love you," Oliver murmured and stroked her cheek. He went to kiss her but was surprised when she pulled back. She took off her sweater to reveal a white tank top underneath and threw the damp material aside. He quirked an eyebrow at her.

Felicity shrugged. "When I imagined you finally saying that you loved me, it did not involve an ugly Hanukkah sweater. In fact, my outfit was going to be super cute."

Oliver laughed at that and shook his head. "I love you ugly sweater and all," he teased, trying not to think too hard about the way she was straddling his waist right now. Her soft weight on him and the way the water was dampening her white top were having quite the effect on his body. The coast was clear for now, but Oliver couldn't let himself get completely distracted. Their troubles were far from over.

"You're so noble," Felicity kidded back and let him pull her close again. She whispered another "I love you" just as his tongue traced the seam of her lips. She opened her mouth for him and moaned when his tongue started to tease hers.

Oliver felt like he couldn't bring Felicity close enough. Almost losing her had made his need to touch her and make sure that she was real even stronger. His hand stayed on her cheek while the other roamed down her back and up her curves once more. She said she hadn't been hurt, but Oliver still needed to confirm that for himself. Despite his best intentions to not get distracted, they didn't pull apart until a throat cleared.

They whipped their heads to the doorway to find Diggle, Lyla, and a few other people dressed in dark military garb staring at them.

"And here we thought you were in danger," Diggle quipped, smirking. Lyla was also fighting back a smile next to him. The other men kept straight faces. It was impossible to tell what they were thinking, but Oliver was sure they weren't the purest of thoughts. "Guess we rushed for nothing."

"Actually, you're right on time," Oliver replied.

Diggle crossed his arms. "For what exactly?"

Lyla said something to the men, and they filed out of the room.

Felicity got up quickly, blushing furiously, and helped Oliver to his feet. Although he was trying to hide it, his body was sore from his fall. They met them near the doorway, away from the pipe spewing water.

"Are you two okay?" Diggle questioned, taking in Oliver's injuries.

"I'll be fine," Oliver assured him.

"I'm okay," Felicity added.

Diggle handed Oliver his leather jacket and hood, along with a set of arrows. He then pulled out Oliver's compound bow and let it unfold. Felicity didn't know how they'd managed to retrieve it but was glad that it wasn't lost. She'd given it to Oliver as a gift and losing it would've been just another casualty in their war with Merlyn and Cooper. Diggle then reached into his pocket and pulled out Felicity's spare set of glasses.

"Thanks, Dig," she said and put them on, touched by his thoughtfulness.

"You're going to need them if you're going to stop Cooper."

"How did you find us?"

"I take back every joke I made about Oliver sticking a tracking device in his boot," Diggle explained.

Felicity turned to Lyla curiously. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but why exactly are you here?"

Before she could reply, Diggle said, "Remember how I mentioned that Lyla works for a government agency?"

"Vaguely," Felicity answered. "You made it sound like she sits behind a desk and files paperwork."

"That's part of my job-after I'm finished with top-secret missions that involve national security," Lyla explained. "A population exposed to performance enhancers laced with nanotech easily qualifies."

It was then that Felicity noticed the word A.R.G.U.S. stamped on her uniform. "Cool. Your girlfriend is a badass, Dig."

Diggle chuckled and couldn't help nodding in agreement. Lyla also smiled and shrugged like it was no big deal.

"Is your team all set?" Oliver interjected. As nice as it was that they were all taking a minute, the chaos in the city was only getting worse.

"They're waiting for my order," Lyla responded.

"Good. Give the order. You're with Felicity. Dig is with me."

"Wait," Felicity halted him. "We're splitting up again?"

"We might have to," Oliver said. "While Diggle and I take on Merlyn, Lyla is going to stay with you. Where the hell are we, by the way?"

"We're underneath the warehouse that Merlyn wanted you to meet him at," Diggle answered. "The Bratva created an entire compound underground to hide their illegal activity."

"A.R.G.U.S. had been investigating this place a few years back-before it was raided," Lyla explained. "I was able to access the schematics. Thermal shows that the majority of bodies in this place are grouped in the command center."

"How big is your team to take on Merlyn's mini army?" Felicity questioned. "I've been watching them. They're like zombies, and they won't go down easily."

"We've got enough to ensure the odds are in our favor."

"That's also where you come in," Oliver stated. "Felicity, you have to undo Cooper's commands. If we can at least interrupt the messaging, they should snap out of it. The people in the city, too. The SCPD having the cure isn't going to be enough. It takes some time to kick in."

"Since when is there a cure?" Oliver wasn't kidding when he'd said he had a plan.

"Ray got in touch with me tonight. He'd been working with Applied Sciences on it. I still don't like him, but I'll admit he came through," Oliver conceded.

"Are you going to use it on Merlyn? Even if you give it to him, it won't-"

"I've got it covered, Felicity. Don't worry," Oliver reassured her.

Felicity's mind continued to go a mile a minute. "I can't stop the nanotech unless I have another command to give it. That's going to take some time if I don't have my-"

Lyla held up a USB drive. "Johnny put it on this. He said you'd already figured it out."

Felicity nodded. "Yes. This is exactly what I need."

"Then we're good to go," Lyla declared and proceeded to speak into her comms.

Oliver pulled up his hood, ready to take the lead. Felicity halted him, knowing it would be her last chance to get through to him before he was in full Arrow mode. "Please be careful," she said and kissed him quickly.

"You be careful, too. Stay behind us and with Lyla. Don't engage Cooper by yourself," Oliver advised. He placed his hand on her shoulder and then gently tugged on her ponytail before taking the lead.

"You ready?" Lyla asked her.

Felicity nodded and followed Lyla out into the corridor to meet up with the other A.R.G.U.S. agents. Although she trusted Lyla, Felicity didn't want to be separated from Oliver. Tamping down her unease, Felicity stayed toward the back as they started to make their way to the command center. They had a city to save and not a moment to lose.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay to face Merlyn?" Diggle muttered under his breath as they made their way down a series of corridors. He must've noticed Oliver's labored steps. The only thing keeping the pain at bay from his fall was the adrenaline of chasing down Merlyn.

"Dig, I promise I'm ready. This ends tonight," Oliver declared.

His partner nodded and kept his gun at the ready. The team moved silently behind Oliver. All was quiet, which meant that the rest of the A.R.G.U.S. agents hadn't engaged yet. They had to get to the command center before Merlyn and Cooper were alerted to the breach. When they rounded the corner, they saw two of Merlyn's men standing guard in front of a wide entryway.

Oliver wasted no time loading his bow with the injection arrows and firing. The men were startled by the cuts to their neck. Their grunts must've been heard by Cooper and Merlyn, because a heavy metal door slid shut, blocking the entrance to the command center and setting off an alarm. The guards pulled out the arrows before charging forward. Oliver, Diggle, and the other men met them halfway. Although they were able to subdue the guards, more men showed up.

Lyla helped Felicity navigate her way through the fighting. She faced a couple men of her own, and it took Felicity a minute to realize that one of Lyla's weapons was a tranq gun. She would fire that first before putting down the men. They appeared to be trying not to kill them. Felicity was glad. Even though they were criminals, it wasn't entirely their fault. The nanotech and Cortana were driving their actions at the moment.

"Felicity, can you get the door open?" Oliver called to her.

"I need a couple of minutes." Felicity pulled off the panel next to the door to locate the proper wiring. While she worked, she was vaguely aware of the group positioning themselves between her and the guards that kept coming. Knowing that she was protected allowed Felicity to work more quickly.

"Felicity," Oliver stressed.

"I got it," she shouted. Seconds later, the door started to slide open. Lyla was quick to pull her back so that Oliver and the others could enter first.

They found themselves in yet another large, steel room. In the very center was a semicircle of what looked like panels and a giant switchboard with multiple screens. Felicity's eyes widened at all the high-tech machines and found her fingers itching to touch them. If it wasn't for the immediate danger that they were in-there was a wall of intimidating men separating them from the panel-she would've crossed the room already.

"Impressive escape," Merlyn called to Oliver. "I suppose I should've known you would have something up your sleeve. The guilt of watching your city burn once again because of you is incentive enough."

Almost instantly, Felicity was aware that something was off about Merlyn. Cooper was standing beside him at the panel and for once the younger man actually looked to be in more control. Merlyn had grown paler since earlier, and his voice held a slight tremble. The man looked like he was having trouble standing upright, as well. Felicity's suspicions were confirmed when she glanced at Oliver and noticed the slight tilt to the corner of his mouth.

"You feeling okay? You don't look so good," Oliver commented.

"That wasn't an ordinary tranq arrow, was it?" Merlyn surmised and shuddered.

Cooper stood still in his spot, but his eyes were hyper alert. When he wasn't staring at the screens or them, his eyes were roaming the room. The rat was looking for an escape. She just knew it.

"I told you I might've perfected the recipe. You've got the cure flowing through your veins, courtesy of Queen Consolidated's Applied Sciences division," Oliver proudly declared. "You were right to envy my family's company all these years."

Cooper's head whipped toward Merlyn. Apparently, the evil villain hadn't shared his current condition with his little partner in crime. Cooper's expression dropped, and he took a few steps away from the older man.

Nothing got by Merlyn. "Don't you even think about running, you little shit. We're in this together."

"You said you were unstoppable," Cooper accused. "What good are you going to be against them now?"

"As long as you fulfill your end of the deal and keep them under control, we'll be fine. None of our men have the cure in their veins. They won't be so easy to kill."

Cooper stared at their group before looking at Felicity. She narrowed her eyes at him, letting him know that she was coming for him just like the rest of them. "I didn't sign up for this."

"I'm sick of your whining," Merlyn suddenly shouted. "Now shut up, and do your damn job!"

He pulled out a gun and pointed it at Cooper's head. "Give the order to kill them all and call the others. Now!"

"There are no others," Diggle informed him. "The rest of our team have already taken them out."

Merlyn, despite his deteriorating state, smirked. "Then change of plans. You come one step closer, and I'll have Cooper here give the order for every infected civilian in Starling to kill themselves. The blood of thousands will be on your hands."

Cooper hastily took his seat and started typing away. Felicity anxiously looked to Oliver for guidance. She had to get over there and put a stop to this. She was the only one that could. "Oliver," Felicity murmured.

"The only blood that will spill tonight is yours," Oliver threatened and sprang into action. He and the others started firing off shots with the cure before chaos erupted. They engaged the guards and started fighting their way toward Merlyn.

"Give the order! Do it," Merlyn was yelling.

In between typing, Cooper kept glancing at the battle before him. Oliver and Diggle were getting closer and closer. Suddenly, Cooper stopped and pushed away from the computer. "Fuck this," he cursed and ran for the wall behind them. Felicity saw a keypad. It must open a panel that served as an alternate exit. Cooper had barely managed to push the first button before Merlyn raised the gun and shot him in the head. Felicity screamed as blood splattered on the wall, and Cooper's dead weight dropped to the floor.

That seemed to spur Oliver, who was making a beeline for Merlyn. The older man hurriedly punched at the keypad and disappeared into the dark opening. Felicity saw Oliver pause slightly before continuing on with Diggle right behind him. Felicity wanted so badly to follow them but knew she had her own job to do. She didn't even dare to look at Cooper's limp body. Despite everything he'd put her through, she'd never actually wanted him to die-much less witness the brutal scene firsthand. Even now Felicity was fighting back the freak out and the urge to throw up. All that mattered was getting the city back under control. Felicity positioned herself at the panel-with Lyla standing nearby to fend off any other attackers-and proceeded to upload her own command into the Brother Eye visual. For once, that damn symbol would actually do some good.

* * *

Merlyn didn't get far before Oliver and Diggle were upon him. The panel had led to a cache of weapons with various display cases. The walls also held shelves upon shelves of all sorts of traditional weaponry. Oliver let loose an arrow while Diggle fired his gun. Merlyn dove behind one of the floor displays.

With some satisfaction, Oliver saw that Merlyn's movements-though faster than the average person-were more sluggish. Finally, they were on equal footing. Merlyn must've grabbed a bow, because an arrow came shooting through the darkness. Oliver expertly dodged it and continued his pursuit.

"Just because you escaped and Cooper is dead doesn't mean you won. I still managed to level this city for the second time," he taunted.

"You won't get to third time's the charm. You'll be too dead," Diggle retorted.

Merlyn sprang out and grabbed for Diggle's gun. He managed to get it out of his hands and hit him back. Oliver was close behind him and swung out his bow to hit Merlyn across the face. Diggle recovered quickly and the pair fought Merlyn at once. Despite holding his own, Oliver could see the change in Merlyn's approach immediately. His moves were much more measured and deliberate now that he didn't have the excess strength as an advantage. He was most likely fighting with his last burst of energy, since the cure was continuing to weaken him.

Striking out at Oliver, Merlyn was able to punch him onto a display table as he took on Diggle. He then ran behind a set of shelves and grabbed a small arrow. Merlyn threw it between the slits, and Diggle cried out as it pierced the right side of his chest.

"Diggle," Oliver exclaimed and ran to his partner. He was aware of Merlyn escaping through another door, but there was no way he'd go after him if Diggle was seriously hurt.

From his spot on the ground, Diggle warded him off. "Finish this, Oliver. Go!"

"But-"

"I'll live, now go!"

Not needing to be told a third time, Oliver chased after Merlyn. They ended up back on the upper level of the warehouse where they'd fought earlier tonight. Oliver avoided another arrow as he came through the door.

"So tell me, are you finally ready to die?"

"Are you?" Oliver countered and lifted his bow. Merlyn did the same, and it was a shoot-off.

They met in the middle of the room and used their bows like swords. Their weapons of choice clashed together as they each got in their own hits. At one point, Merlyn teetered after a particularly hard blow from Oliver. Oliver shot another arrow that Merlyn caught. Too late his enemy realized that it detonated. The mini explosion caused Merlyn to go flying backward onto the concrete floor. Moving forward swiftly, Oliver landed another blow to Merlyn. The older man scrambled back and stood up, but his form was unsteady. Merlyn got around Oliver and kneed him in the back. Oliver fell but then kicked up at Merlyn's stomach.

While he was disoriented, Oliver ran at Merlyn and propelled himself up. He wrapped his legs around his head and flipped him over onto the ground. Merlyn came at him and Oliver flipped him again but ended up bent backwards in Merlyn's clutches. The older man's arms came up around his neck and squeezed, cutting off Oliver's air supply. Out of the corner of his eye, Oliver was aware of Diggle dragging himself forward on the ground. He must've lost a lot of blood trying to get to him.

Oliver yanked at Merlyn's arms in an effort to get him off. Although he was weaker, Merlyn was still stronger than most other men Oliver had faced. Merlyn started dragging him toward the ground.

"Don't struggle. It's over," he said almost soothingly-like he was trying to lull him into a fitful sleep. "I never really doubted the outcome. Don't worry, your parents will be there to greet you. Maybe even Felicity soon. I have unfinished business with that one."

 _Survive_ , Oliver heard his father's last words to him echo in his head. _Survive_. Oliver was not going to die here. Not like this. For the first time in six years, Oliver actually had something to live for. He was starting to feel lightheaded from the lack of oxygen. Searching frantically, his eyes landed on an arrow on the ground. It was several inches away, and Oliver strained to reach it. He bent forward and got a good grip on it. Seconds later, he was plunging it through his own left shoulder to pierce Merlyn's chest behind him. Oliver yanked it back out, and Merlyn shouted in pain before collapsing.

Oliver coughed as his lungs fought to take in air and stood up on wobbly legs. "Thank you for teaching me what I'm fighting for," he replied, his voice hoarse. "But my father taught me how." He then punched him in the face and grabbed his bow. Loading it with an arrow, Oliver aimed it at Merlyn. The wound he'd inflicted on him moments before was severe but not enough to kill him. Ridding him of this world for good still required one final act.

Oliver looked to Diggle. He was still on the ground, bleeding and covered in sweat. When his friend didn't say anything, he knew that Diggle was okay with whatever Oliver chose to do. Seconds later, they were joined by Lyla and Felicity. They were both out of breath with a frantic look in their eyes. Lyla immediately went to Diggle to help him while Felicity moved further into the room. Her eyes met Oliver's, and he saw the same acceptance that Diggle had granted him moments prior.

"Go ahead. Take your revenge," Merlyn taunted, curled up on the ground in pain with blood spilling from his wound. "But it will never bring your mother and father back."

"You're right. It won't," Oliver said after a moment. He met Felicity's intense stare once more before lowering his bow. While her acceptance meant the world to him, being worthy of her love was worth more than any vendetta. He owed it to her and himself to be better.

Merlyn chuckled and then hissed in pain. "I knew you didn't have the guts to kill me."

"No. I have the strength to let you live." He then delivered a knockout punch that left Merlyn unconscious. Just because he was letting Merlyn live, didn't mean Oliver had to put up with the bastard's incessant, egotistical lecturing.

Lyla came forward and started to bind Merlyn while muttering into her comm. She gave him a kick of her own, no doubt for the pain he'd inflicted on Diggle. It wasn't long before the other A.R.G.U.S. agents arrived to help her cart him away and attend to Diggle.

Oliver turned just in time to catch Felicity. He grunted in pain when she hit his chest wound, and she pulled back immediately. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," she apologized. Taking in his wound, she gasped. "Oliver, were you shot?"

"Not exactly," he muttered and drew her into his embrace once more.

Felicity was careful not to hit his wound again as she lifted onto her toes and kissed him. "I'm so proud of you," she mumbled against his lips. "Thank you."

He rested his forehead against hers. "What for?"

"For actually having a plan to save me," she teased.

"I had help," he replied. "I'm assuming your reprogramming worked."

"It did. The violence, for the most part, has stopped. Now it's just a matter of getting the cure to everyone, so they can go back to normal."

"And Cooper?"

Some of the light left her eyes, and she shook her head. "No."

"This probably sounds strange, but I'm sorry."

"It's no stranger than I feel," Felicity mumbled. "Cooper put me through hell and made some really bad decisions. What happened is on him. But watching it happen and knowing he's gone...I still feel sorta sorry for him. Is that crazy?"

Oliver shook his head and brushed back a few stray hairs behind her ear. "No. It just means that you're human and a good person. Just one of the many reasons why I love you." His words brought back some of the light in her eyes.

"You've been saying that a lot tonight," she kidded, beaming.

"I should've said it awhile ago. I've got a lot to make up for," he said and tugged on her ponytail.

"Oliver, Felicity," Lyla called to them. "My team is heading out."

"Is Dig okay?" Felicity asked, concerned.

"He'll be fine," Lyla said in a steady voice, also sounding like she needed to reassure herself. "We're taking care of him."

"I'll talk to him later but tell him I said thanks. I wouldn't have been able to do it without either of you."

"It's what friends are for." She handed Oliver a bandage when he declined to return with them to headquarters to get his wound checked out. Felicity quickly promised that she'd take care of him.

"What's going to happen to Merlyn?" Oliver questioned.

"And what about the city?" Felicity added. "It was the actual public that was manipulated into causing violence. They're going to want someone to blame. They'll want justice."

"We've already got it covered," Lyla assured them.

"But-"

"Go home, the both of you. Get some rest. You've earned it. We'll talk soon." Lyla patted Felicity's arm. "I'm really glad you're safe, Felicity." She rejoined her team.

"That makes two of us," Oliver muttered and leaned down to capture Felicity's lips. The relief that she was safe and their troubles with Merlyn and Cooper were finally over was immense.

When they broke apart, Felicity nudged Oliver gently. "Let's go home."

Oliver took Felicity's hand in his and let her lead the way. He didn't need to be told twice.


	30. Chapter 30

**Okay guys, so this is officially the last chapter. Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing and following this story! I hope you've enjoyed it. There is some mature content in this chapter. It's the moment I'm sure you've all been waiting for.  
**

 **Also, I do have another Olicity fic in the works that I will be posting soon. The summary of _Bound to You_ can be found on my profile page. Thanks again, and happy reading! **

* * *

**Chapter 30**

Shivering, Felicity bundled her coat more snugly around her as she walked down the jetway and into the airport. It was a sharp contrast to the sweltering heat of Las Vegas. Apparently, spending eleven days in her childhood home was enough to spoil her completely. A chill ran through her body as it tried to adjust to Starling's colder temperature. It was slightly better once she'd entered the airport.

Felicity hiked her large purse up and over her shoulder more securely before going to baggage claim. Her bright pink suitcase stood out among everyone else's standard black luggage. With her suitcase in hand, Felicity walked out into the main area of the airport. Along the way she took in the strung up Christmas lights and sparkling trees in different corners. She also saw a Menorah or two.

Her eyes searched the crowd until they landed on a skinny brunette wearing bright red lipstick and a Santa hat. Felicity laughed and shook her head, amused. Thea's face lit up when she noticed Felicity, and she ran to her.

"Oh my God, you actually made it!" Thea excitedly exclaimed, hugging her.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"There's some big snowstorm that's supposed to be coming in. I was worried your flight would get delayed. It would totally ruin everything."

"Nope. Beat it just in time," Felicity said. She'd also been concerned when she'd heard the weather reports. Needless to say, she'd been praying nonstop that it would hold off just long enough for her to make the trip back to Starling.

"Good. I can't wait to see the look on my brother's face."

They made their way out of the airport and to a taxi. "How is he?" Felicity asked.

"He's been broodier than usual. No doubt because you've been gone. Do you mind if we stop at the store real quick?"

"No, that's okay. What do you need to get?"

"Eggnog. I purposely didn't buy enough so I'd have an excuse to come get you. No Christmas Eve party can survive without it."

"You threw a big party?"

"Maybe gathering is a better word. It's really just Tommy and Laurel, Diggle and Lyla, and Roy."

"Nice," Felicity complimented and looked out the window. Thinking about stoic Oliver brought a frown to her face. "Maybe I should've told him I was coming back tonight."

A few days after she'd been "rescued," Felicity had gone to Las Vegas to celebrate the holidays with her mom. The police had called her when Felicity had been taken, and the only way to convince her not to come to Starling was to promise to visit her instead.

At first Felicity didn't want to go, but it felt good to get out of Starling for a little while. For once she didn't have to worry about jealous ex-boyfriends, mass murderers, or all of the other criminals she dealt with on a nightly basis. It was a break that was long overdue. She'd texted Oliver, and they'd spoken on the phone a couple of times while she was away. Felicity got the feeling that Oliver was trying to give her space. She needed some time to think and cope with all of the changes in her life lately. There was also the uncertainty about her future and what that meant. Of course, she still missed Oliver like crazy.

"No. I'm serious about the surprise. Bringing you back early is the ultimate gift," Thea declared and snapped her fingers as if an idea had suddenly come to her. "Would it be tacky if I made you wear a bow?"

Felicity laughed out loud and shook her head. "I am not wearing a bow like some puppy, Thea."

"I bet Oliver would think it's cute," she teased.

"Nice try, but the answer is still no," Felicity replied, nudging her.

The brunette shrugged. "Oh well. It was worth a shot."

After picking up the eggnog, they were on their way home to the loft. Felicity felt the butterflies in her stomach, which was ridiculous because this was Oliver. They'd been working together and living in the same apartment for months. Felicity had outright told Oliver that she loved him, to which he finally revealed that he felt the same.

Their enemies were finally gone. Cooper was dead, and Merlyn was locked away in some high-security A.R.G.U.S. prison—though the public believed him to be dead. A.R.G.U.S. had also made sure it leaked that he, with the help of Cooper, was the mastermind behind the city being attacked. There was no getting around where the technology to pull off such an attack originated from. It had been a media firestorm when QC and Merlyn Global were implicated. However, Lyla let it leak that while Felicity was taken hostage, she'd managed to hack into the Brother Eye messaging to stop the destruction. Felicity's association with QC and the fact that the company developed the cure to be distributed for free kept the company from facing as harsh a backlash as the Undertaking. Tommy, who'd been devastated that his father had wreaked so much havoc yet again, also had Merlyn Global set up a fund to aid victims of the attack. Needless to say, both companies' PR teams had been working overtime ever since that night.

It was a few days ago that Oliver called Felicity and let her know about Petrov. He'd been found dead in the penthouse of his hotel in Corto Maltese. The coroner attributed it to a drug overdose, but Oliver said it was a cover. Men like Petrov never sampled their own supply. Oliver's powerful Bratva friend had sent a strong warning to anyone who would try to undermine his position and threaten his allies.

The months of fear, anger, and worry were finally over. There was absolutely no reason for Felicity to feel nervous. And yet, Felicity's stomach was doing somersaults. They were almost back at the loft. Letting out a long, deep breath, it was time for Felicity to face the truth. The sudden and well-deserved peace in their life meant that Felicity and Oliver had some decisions to make.

For months they'd denied their feelings and put off having "the talk," because they didn't know when or if their enemies would strike. That constant state of upheaval made it almost impossible to make plans for the future. Hell, Oliver had been adamant that Felicity not decide anything until Cooper was taken care of. It was like he was almost convinced that Felicity would want nothing to do with him once she was no longer in danger. His lack of confidence that she would choose him regardless—which she knew had more to do with his own trust issues than her character—pained her. It made Felicity wonder for the thousandth time what exactly had happened to Oliver those five years he'd been away to make him feel so unworthy of love. Felicity already knew what she wanted. She'd known all along. She just hoped that Oliver still felt the same and hadn't talked himself out of it while she was gone.

By the time the taxi pulled up in front of their building, Felicity's butterflies had turned into pterodactyls. She followed Thea inside. The men at the front desk gave her a friendly greeting, asking how she was since they hadn't seen her in awhile. Felicity mentioned her trip home to Vegas and wished them a Merry Christmas before following Thea to the elevator. As soon as they reached their floor and entered the corridor, Felicity could hear laughter coming from the loft. Thea took the lead and opened the door, motioning for Felicity to hang back for a second.

"Hey, Thea's back," Roy announced.

"We were wondering what happened to you," Laurel commented.

"Please tell me you got the eggnog," Tommy interjected. "No judgment if you had to beat a little old lady to get it."

"Got it right here," Thea said and held up the grocery bag.

"Looks like you just beat the snow." The sound of Oliver's voice made Felicity's skin tingle. She'd missed his deep, husky tenor. Talking over the phone hardly did it justice.

"Sorry it took so long," Thea apologized, though Felicity could hear an undertone of excitement in her voice. "I actually had to pick up something else."

"I don't know what else we could possibly need," Oliver said. "We've got enough food to be eating leftovers for a week."

"Trust me, you need this," Thea confidently declared and gestured for Felicity to come inside.

Taking a deep breath, Felicity walked through the doorway. "Merry Christmas, everyone. Sorry I'm late."

"Surprise!" Thea announced.

It took a few seconds for everyone to react. Once the initial shock wore off, the group was all smiles and on its feet to greet her. Tommy got to her first. Then Laurel. Lyla gave her a warm smile and hug. Roy, not knowing quite what to do since they weren't that close, gave her a friendly nod.

"Glad you're back, Felicity," Diggle said and enveloped her in a bear hug.

"Thanks, Dig," Felicity replied, smiling, and squeezed him tightly back.

When he pulled away, Felicity noticed Oliver get up from his spot on the couch. He'd hung back while everyone else had rushed to her. Felicity wasn't sure if Oliver was still surprised or purposely kept some distance. He looked amazing as always in his fitted green sweater and khaki dress pants. His hair had been cut and his scruff was trimmed much closer to his face than the last time she'd seen him.

"Hi," Felicity muttered as their eyes met. It wasn't the most eloquent greeting, but it was all she seemed able to get out.

"Hi," Oliver replied, watching her with an intensity that made her weak in the knees. "I thought you weren't coming back until New Year's."

"I was going to but...I guess I couldn't stay away."

"Good." He added more softly, "We need you here."

When he brought her in for a hug, Felicity's eyes automatically closed. Oliver's embrace was warm and comforting—almost like coming home. Felicity felt some of the tension leave her body. His arms felt like the safest place in the world to her.

"Merry Christmas, big brother, like your present?" Thea cut in.

"I love it," Oliver replied, his voice a low caress. His hold on Felicity tightened for a moment before he let go and looked to his sister. "Thanks, Speedy."

"Maybe now you won't be such a Grinch," the brunette teased, causing everyone to laugh, before proceeding into the kitchen to make the eggnog punch.

"Let me take your coat," Oliver offered. She felt his fingers slide along the naked skin of her arms as he pulled it off of her. Suppressing a shiver, Felicity joined the group. Everyone was sitting in the living room in front of the fireplace.

"I love your dress," Laurel complimented her.

Felicity ran her hands down the red fabric to straighten it out before sitting down. "Oh, thank you." She ended up next to Diggle after he patted the spot next to him. It also ended up being right next to where Oliver had been seated. Knowing Diggle, it probably wasn't a coincidence.

"So, how was Vegas?" Tommy questioned. "It had to be a hell of a lot warmer there than here."

"It was nice," Felicity answered. "I hadn't gotten the chance to visit my mom in a while. We made the most of it."

"I thought for sure you'd come back with a tan," Thea joked and handed her a glass of eggnog before sitting next to Roy.

"My mother did get us pool privileges at Caesar's Palace. I got a little color, but I never get that tan."

Oliver retook his seat and listened intently with the others as she spoke. He'd been right about the weather. Looking out the window, Felicity could see the white flakes falling from the sky. Felicity was glad when Tommy started talking about his last vacation to Vegas and how he'd lost ten-thousand dollars in the span of five minutes—and it had nothing to do with actual gambling. The story was really quite scandalous and just so Tommy.

Every so often Oliver's thigh would brush against Felicity's, and it would send a rush of heat through her. Felicity was trying to follow the conversation—which had turned to last-minute Christmas shopping and the madness of department stores—as best she could but being so close to Oliver again was distracting. She was hyper-aware of every little movement he made and shifted restlessly in her own seat.

"Speaking of gifts, it's Secret Santa time," Thea announced, clapping her hands together. "Everyone grab their gifts and pass them out."

Presents were pulled from under the tree and handed out. The sound of wrapping paper being torn and tissue paper rustling could be heard throughout the room.

"I don't know who I have," Felicity told Thea.

The brunette smiled. "Actually, you've got me."

"Oh. Hold on." Felicity got up and went to her suitcase. She pulled out a small square box with a bow. She had planned on giving it to Thea tomorrow, but now was as good a time as any. "Here you go."

"Ooh, thanks!" Thea tore at the paper and opened the box. A second later, her eyes lit up upon seeing the cute pair of sparkly earrings. "These are adorable. Thanks, Felicity."

"You're welcome."

"I see we had the same idea," Tommy said and gestured to the earrings Laurel held in her hand. Although hers were most likely real gold and diamonds.

"These are beautiful, Tommy. Thank you," Laurel said and gave him a quick kiss. It brought a smile to Felicity's face. She was glad that Laurel and Tommy had worked things out and seemed to be moving forward. Tommy deserved happiness after the hell his father had put him through again recently. Expensive jewelry as a gift was usually a good sign.

The exchanges continued as Laurel gave a gift to Diggle. Diggle gave a gift to Roy, who'd given a gift to Tommy.

"So, Speedy, what'd you get me?" Oliver questioned.

Thea grinned and gestured to Felicity. "Your gift has already been delivered, Ollie. You're welcome."

Felicity couldn't help but blush at the exchange between the siblings. Although Thea had mentioned that Oliver missed her, it still felt odd being put on the spot in front of everyone. Oliver was staring at Felicity in that intent way of his, and it turned Felicity's insides to jelly. She also realized in that moment that she was the only one who hadn't received a gift yet, which meant that Oliver must've drawn her name.

He got up and walked over to the window. Next to her menorah was a small blue gift bag. Oliver grabbed it and returned to his seat. "I never did get a chance to give you your Hanukkah present before you left."

"Thanks," Felicity said and reached inside. She pulled out a small, black velvet box and felt her heart start to beat faster. Whatever Oliver had gotten her, it was sure to be expensive. Felicity opened the box and gasped. The delicate platinum diamond bracelet with a square emerald in the middle of the art deco pattern sparkled vividly in the light. It was absolutely breathtaking. "Oliver..." she trailed off, at a loss for words.

"Do you like it?" he asked quietly, seeming a little nervous. It was so unlike him, which made him even more adorable.

"I love it," she murmured, fighting back the emotional tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She'd never been given anything so elaborate. The emerald stone in the center and the significance behind it also wasn't lost on her.

Oliver reached over to take the bracelet out of the box and fasten it around her left wrist. His calloused fingers against her soft skin sent sparks of electricity up her arm. Felicity stared at the bracelet in awe for a moment longer before looking up at Oliver. "Thank you." She wanted to kiss him senseless but since they weren't alone, Felicity settled for kissing his cheek and throwing her arms around him. His grip on her was gentle but firm. "I've missed you," she whispered so only he could hear.

"Me too," he replied.

When they finally broke apart, Felicity noticed the others watching them with happy, knowing glances.

Thea gave a little whistle as she looked at the bracelet. "Nice work, Ollie."

"Thanks, Speedy," Oliver stated before everyone started casually talking and laughing again. At some point during the conversation, Oliver took Felicity's hand in his. She stared at their joined hands and the way the bracelet rested between them.

"Felicity, would you like a Christmas cookie?" Lyla offered her, leaning over Diggle and holding out the plate. "I made them myself."

Felicity's stomach rumbled, and she realized just how hungry she was. "Oh yes, they look delicious." As she went to grab a cookie, Felicity noticed a very bright, shiny object on Lyla's finger. "Oh my God, are you guys engaged?!" she blurted out.

Diggle and Lyla exchanged a loving look. "Yes, we are," Diggle confirmed.

"Johnny asked me a couple of days ago actually."

Felicity narrowed her eyes at Diggle and nudged him. "Congratulations! How come you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want to bother you while you were away," he told her. It looked like Oliver wasn't the only one concerned about giving her space after her kidnapping.

"For the record, when you propose again to your girlfriend/wife, I'd definitely like to know."

"Well, we do hope this is the last time he has to do it," Lyla joked.

"The ring is gorgeous," Thea complimented. "You guys really do know your jewelry—not that I ever doubted you. Well, maybe I doubted Ollie for a second." She got a mischievous glint in her eye. "It took him foreeever to pick out your bracelet, Felicity. Nothing was good enough."

"Easy on the eggnog, Speedy. You're talking crazy," Oliver retorted, giving her the authoritative, big-brother warning look.

Thea remained undeterred. "If I was drunk, which I'm not, it would just make me more honest."

Felicity beamed at Oliver, enjoying his discomfort at Thea's teasing. She was also secretly thrilled that he had put so much thought into her gift.

"Well, I know I'm not drunk enough yet," Tommy declared and got up to refill his cup.

After finishing the last bite of her cookie, Felicity noticed Oliver lean over and ask, "Did you eat on the flight?"

Felicity shook her head. "Not really. They only had peanuts, which would not have boded well for me."

"We have a ton of food left over. I can get you something," Oliver offered.

"You don't have to. I can get it."

"No, you sit and relax. I'll get it," he insisted and went to make her a plate. When he came back, it was filled with her favorite foods. He'd even heated it up for her. Inhaling the heavenly aroma, Felicity couldn't wait to dig in.

"Wow, this is so good. Did you guys cook?"

Thea beamed proudly. "Ollie did."

Felicity whipped around to face him, stunned. "Seriously?"

Oliver shrugged like it was no big deal. "I'm no you, but I figured I'd give it a try."

"He's a natural in the kitchen," Thea added. "It's kind of scary actually."

"Please tell me you wore an apron?" Felicity teased, to which he playfully rolled his eyes. But she could tell that Oliver was secretly pleased by her approval. Felicity took a large bite of macaroni and avoided devouring it all in a couple of minutes. She was at least trying to seem like a lady with it being the holidays and all.

Another hour of laughter and conversation passed before the inclement weather could no longer be ignored by their guests. It was getting bad out, and they didn't want their party to turn into a giant sleepover. A sleepover wouldn't have been so terrible if the others didn't have plans already for tomorrow morning. Everyone was hugging and saying goodbye as they put on their coats. Felicity congratulated Diggle and Lyla once more, and they repeated how great it was that she was back in Starling. After the two couples had left, Thea announced that she and Roy were going ice skating. Oliver, always the concerned big brother, told her to be careful.

"Relax, Ollie. It's not that far from here. We'll walk," Thea replied and gave him a hug.

"Thanks for dinner," Roy said to Oliver. "And welcome back, Felicity."

"Thanks. Bye, guys. Have fun," Felicity called after them.

"But not too much," Oliver warned.

"I could say the same about you two," Thea countered, pushing the button to the elevator and rolling her eyes at her brother.

Flustered by the insinuation, Felicity went back inside the apartment. The diamonds in her bracelet caught the light, and she couldn't help staring at her wrist.

"So you really do like it?" Oliver questioned, interrupting her musings.

"Are you kidding? I love it," Felicity gushed. "It's gorgeous and expensive. Almost too expensive, which I only say because I've never been given anything like this. I think I'm still in shock. Not that it matters how much it costs—which was probably a small fortune—because I don't care about that. You could've gotten it from a crackerjack box, and I'd still love it. I know you put a lot of thought into this since Thea basically said it and hello, it's green, and green is totally your color. Not to mention—"

Felicity didn't get a chance to finish her nervous ramble before Oliver's lips silenced her. She moaned into his mouth and clutched at his shirt to bring him closer. She didn't know when they'd started moving, but somehow her back ended up against the wooden beam in the center of the room. The delicious pressure of being sandwiched between the hard surface and Oliver's hard body was making her weak in the knees. Felicity hooked one of her legs up and over his hip as she nibbled on his lower lip. Oliver clutched her thigh in response and pressed himself more firmly into her.

"God, I missed you," his deep, husky voice reverberated against her skin.

She ran her hands along his neck and up into his hair to bring his mouth back to hers. "I was hoping you would."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I thought you might have changed your mind."

Oliver paused at that and drew back to look at her, the concern in his eyes fighting its way through the charged haze. "About what?" When she didn't respond right away, Oliver pushed, "Changed my mind about what, Felicity?"

Felicity shrugged and played with his collar. Her embarrassment and anxiety about the precariousness of their situation suddenly made it difficult for her to meet his eyes. "About us," she finally answered softly. "We haven't really talked about what we are. It was something we—or you—kept pushing off until Cooper and Merlyn were dealt with. I know you thought I might change my mind about wanting to stay in Starling. Now they're gone, and we still haven't gotten a chance to talk about it. Ever since I left, you seemed like you might be pulling away or trying to give me space. I wasn't quite sure which."

Oliver's hand went under her chin and lifted her face to meet his. He kissed her softly before saying, "Come here. I have something else for you." He took her hand and guided her to sit on the couch. This time, he walked over to the Christmas tree and pulled a small red box from underneath. He took a seat beside her and placed it in her hands. "Your Christmas gift," Oliver explained, "for when you did finally come back."

Felicity gazed curiously at the box for a moment before untying the bow and opening it. Her eyes widened as she reached inside and pulled out the small, metal key. "What's this for?"

"It's a key to the loft," Oliver answered. "If you're going to stay here with me, I figured you should have your very own key instead of using the spare."

"Oliver," Felicity breathed. "Are you asking me to move in? Or not move out since I'm already—are you asking me to stay?" she finally asked, stopping herself from going off on another tangent.

He took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. I meant what I said when I came for you that night, Felicity. I love you. I've never felt like this before with anyone. I honestly didn't think anyone would know the real me. And if they did, then they certainly couldn't love me. But you're different. You might not know everything about me, but you do know _me_. You're not just the woman I love, you're my partner. It's why I gave you that bracelet with the emerald. You, me and Dig, we're a team. And if you decide to stay, that's what we'll continue to be. You can even work at QC full-time or continue to consult if you want." He paused briefly, as if gathering strength to say his next words. "But if you want to go, you can. And at least you'll have something to remind you of how special you are and the good that we did together."

Felicity wiped away a stray tear and took his hand in hers. The vulnerability in his voice was palpable and made her question gently, "Oliver, did you really expect me not to come back?"

"I hoped you would but...I'm nowhere near over what happened to me those five years I was away, Felicity. If we do this, it's not going to be easy. The kind of life we'll have, I'm sure either one of us or both of us will question if it's the right decision at some point. But as difficult as it might be, not having you in my life will be a whole other kind of hell. I knew it the moment Merlyn took you, Felicity. If you ask me to let you go, then I'll respect that. I'll let you go, because I want you to be happy. But I can't lose you, Felicity—not without you knowing the truth."

Felicity leaned into his touch as he used his thumb to wipe away the tears spilling from her eyes. She was already so happy, she actually felt like her heart might burst. "I don't want you to let me go, Oliver. Ever," Felicity replied. "Whatever you faced in your past and are going through now, it doesn't matter to me. I want to face it with you, because I love you. Deep down you're a good man with a good heart. I've spent years feeling like I never really had a home. Then I came here and met you, and I know without a doubt this is where I belong. As long as you're in my life, I'll be happy because _you're_ my home, Oliver. "

He ran his fingers through her golden hair. "So I should take that as a yes," he surmised, his grin actually reaching his eyes. It was truly a sight to behold.

"Oh, that's a hell yes," Felicity joked and placed her hand on his cheek.

His hands on her hips, Oliver pulled Felicity across his lap so that she was straddling him. He couldn't believe how his life had changed in a mere few hours. He'd started off the night trying to make the most of his and Thea's Christmas party, all the while suppressing the ache in his chest at Felicity's absence. While Felicity was gone, Oliver went about his normal routine and put up a brave front for Diggle and Thea—although his sister must not have been convinced since she made the effort to get Felicity back earlier. Oliver was grateful, regardless.

Felicity was right about him pulling away. He had wanted to give her space and time to think about what she wanted. Meanwhile, Oliver had done the same and made his decision. There wasn't even really a choice to make. He loved Felicity, and he wanted to be with her. Oliver was done denying himself the opportunity to have an actual life. After everything Felicity had gone through, she deserved the same love and protection, as well. Oliver, more than anything, wanted to the be that person she could count on.

The way they fought for each other and worked together to stop Merlyn and Cooper proved that they were up for the task. They could be partners in every possible way. Oliver was all in, and he'd spent the last week and a half wondering and worrying if Felicity would still feel the same. He should've never doubted her, but it was in his nature to expect the worst. Like Oliver had told her, he wasn't completely healed from his time on the island. A part of him would always carry that darkness, but he was ready to open his heart to Felicity and overcome it. They both deserved a chance at happiness.

Burying his hand in her hair while the other stroked the curve of her waist, Oliver drew Felicity in for a deep, passionate kiss. She melted into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. As Felicity's hands alternated between running through his hair and along his back, Oliver sucked on her bottom lip. She moaned when he finally nipped at it and instinctively rocked her hips against him. The soft, steady friction made his pulse run higher. Oliver's grip on Felicity's hips tightened and when their tongues collided, he brought her hips down forcefully on top of him.

Felicity gasped against his mouth at the intimate contact. The chill that had been in Felicity's bones when she first arrived in Starling was gone. Instead, it was replaced by a sizzling heat that she felt all the way down to her core. Her dress had ridden up, and Oliver's hands had taken advantage. He stroked her bare thighs, his hands venturing higher each time. There wasn't an inch of space between them and yet Felicity yearned to bring him closer. To be connected in every way possible.

"I still have to give you your Christmas present," she mumbled without breaking their kiss.

"It can wait." Oliver buried his face in her neck and found that sweet spot along her pulse point. Her head fell back as he sucked on the sensitive patch of skin, savoring the taste of her. Oliver clutched Felicity tighter, unable to let her go after she'd returned so soon. He felt like one of those junkies he often saw in The Glades. His body was vibrating with the need for his next hit, which only she could provide.

"Trust me, you want to unwrap this," Felicity breathed and took hold of his hands. She slid them up her body until they reached the zipper of her dress.

Oliver paused against her neck before pulling back to look at her. Their eyes met and held, silently communicating what they wanted. "Are you sure?" he questioned. The last time they'd almost made love, Felicity was still reeling from her past. Oliver wanted to be with her more than anything, but it wasn't that long ago that she'd been kidnapped. He needed to know that Felicity was truly ready to take the next step and not just caught up in the moment.

Felicity nodded and stroked his cheek while resting their foreheads together. "I'm sure that I'm yours," she whispered and grazed his lips. "I need you, Oliver."

Her words set fire to his veins. Within seconds, Oliver was standing and had scooped her up in his arms. He carried her up the stairs, trying to focus on not missing a step as she peppered kisses along his jaw and neck. He locked the door behind them once they made it to his room. Thea probably wouldn't be home for awhile, but Oliver wasn't going to take any chances. He set Felicity down gently on the bed. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled his sweater up and over his head.

Felicity felt her breath catch at the sight of his hard, toned chest. Each flex of his muscles was a display of strength that never ceased to amaze her. Oliver closed the small distance between them and hooked his hands under her knees, pulling Felicity to the edge of the bed. He stepped in between her legs and her whole body trembled with desire as he knelt before her. Anxiously anticipating his next move, she found herself surprised when Oliver reached up to tenderly remove her glasses and set them aside.

Brushing his fingers along her face, Oliver traced the slope of her nose, roundness of her cheeks, and curve of her lips. Felicity's eyes shut as she basked in his loving touch. "You're so beautiful," Oliver's low, husky voice murmured. He grazed her lips with his own, sending a shiver up her spine.

Felicity found herself leaning into him until she suddenly stood, surprising him. Reaching behind her, she pulled down the zipper of her dress. Oliver's eager hands tugged at the fabric and slid it down her body. Goose bumps formed on Felicity's skin as she watched in heated fascination the way his eyes roamed over her mostly naked flesh.

Their gazes met and held, burning with an intensity and intimacy they were both ready to explore. The fire in Oliver's eyes threatened to consumer her, mirroring the flames she felt running through her veins and straight to her heart. Leaning forward, Oliver placed a kiss in the center of her abdomen. Her hands automatically went to his hair and urged him upward. Oliver took his time, memorizing her body with his mouth and hands. Despite his gentleness, Felicity could detect the underlying fervor growing with every brush of his lips and caress of his fingers.

Finally, he stood and towered over her. The height difference was even more prominent without her heels, but Felicity loved it. She was engulfed in his large embrace and her temperature rose at the feeling of him all around her. Felicity slid her hands up along his hard stomach and broad chest. She traced the line of scars lovingly, trying to erase whatever pain he'd suffered. Oliver's hands ran along her back and landed on her bra. She heard it snap open and drew back enough to let him slide it off. His eyes took her in, and his hands eagerly followed their movements.

Oliver watched as Felicity bit her lip, eyes closed, at his intimate touch. Her reaction ignited the spark between them further still, and Oliver knew it wasn't enough. He needed more of her. Suddenly, Oliver pulled Felicity tight against him and claimed her mouth. The sensation of skin on skin made them both gasp. Felicity wound her arms around him and surrendered herself to his embrace. Oliver's muscles flexed as he supported her weight.

"Oliver." Her hoarse, wanting whisper made him lift her off her feet. Felicity instinctively wrapped her legs around him as he climbed onto the king-sized bed—now _their_ bed—and carefully laid her down in the center. There was a slight tremble between them, and Oliver couldn't tell if it was coming from her body or his. Despite all the women he'd been with—and there had been too many to count, he was ashamed to admit—none of those moments even came close to the depth and anticipation he felt now. He loved the woman before him more than life itself, and he intended to show her just how much.

They continued to kiss while exploring, and it wasn't long before there was nothing left between them. With Oliver settled between her legs, his weight pressing into her, Felicity broke the kiss and took a moment to look at him. The usual tension in Oliver's body was gone. The constant frown and worry lines that marked his face as he brooded had disappeared. Instead, there was a lightness and openness to his expression, intermingled with the passion ready to explode between them. Felicity's heart thumped wildly in her chest, overcome with the emotions swirling inside of her. This man would do anything for her and had. Felicity hadn't known that kind of loyalty and selflessness existed, and she thanked God every day that their paths had crossed. She'd never put much stock in fate, but she believed it wholeheartedly now. Most importantly, she believed in him.

Felicity raised her left hand to stroke his face. "I love you, Oliver." He rested his forehead against hers, breathing her in, before turning to kiss her wrist. Her new bracelet gleamed between them, a reminder of everything they'd gone through to get to this moment. Felicity never wanted to take it off and by the tender look on Oliver's face, he didn't want that either.

He intertwined their fingers. Their joined hands settled on the mattress by her head.

"I love you, too, Felicity," Oliver murmured.

He kissed her deeply and crossed the last barrier separating them completely. Their soft moans intermingled as they clutched each other tightly. No more words were necessary after that.

* * *

Sighing in contentment, Felicity snuggled closer to Oliver. The only light in the room came from the moon outside, making the snow that continued to fall look like silver sparkles. She could truly enjoy it now that she no longer felt the deep chill in her bones. If anything, she'd been overheated these last few hours—thanks to Oliver and to which she had no complaints. Felicity lay with her head on his chest, her body tucked into his side. Her left leg was thrown over his waist, and he lightly stroked her thigh as the other hand buried itself in her hair. Her own hand traced lazy circles against his muscular chest.

"Can I say something strange?" Oliver said, interrupting the comfortable, sated silence that had settled between them. "I'm happy."

His words made her heart melt, and Felicity leaned up to kiss him. "Me, too." A flirtatious smile formed on her face. "Does that mean you liked your Christmas present?"

Oliver smirked in response. "I loved my Christmas present. But..." he trailed off in a husky voice, suddenly gripping her thigh, "I don't think I've played with it nearly enough."

Felicity sat up and draped herself on top of him. Oliver's breath hitched, much to her satisfaction, at the change in positions. "I'm forced to agree," she said and leaned down to kiss him. Before they could get totally wrapped up in each other again, Oliver's phone beeped. He knew exactly what that meant and groaned against her mouth. Felicity had set up a special alert that would let them know if there was a serious disturbance in Starling. Unfortunately, criminals didn't take a holiday.

Oliver reached for his phone. "Damn it. Some nut job shot up a shelter in The Glades and took hostages."

"Duty calls," Felicity said and moved to get up.

Oliver's grip on her tightened. "Maybe the SCPD can handle it." They were finally together and relaxed, and he didn't want to ruin that by running out on her.

"We both know they couldn't diffuse the situation like you could. Besides, it's Christmas. The city needs the hero in green more than the man in red," Felicity teased.

Oliver chuckled and shook his head at her. "Cute. At least you're back. When I said we needed you here, I meant it."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Couldn't figure out the computers, huh?" Felicity had thought she'd made the programs simple enough to use while she was gone, but apparently she'd underestimated their aversion to technology.

"I've never heard Diggle curse so much in all the time I've known him."

"In that case, let me put the both of you out of your misery and get dressed." Felicity laughed and pecked his lips. "We will _definitely_ continue this later." Now that she was staying in Starling and they were an actual couple, they had all the time in the world.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't apologize, Oliver," Felicity interrupted. "It's what we do. We're a team, right?"

Oliver wasn't sure how it could happen but, looking into her eyes and seeing the same love and determination reflecting back at him, he fell in love with her all over again. She really was a true partner. "Right."

"Then it's settled," Felicity declared and pulled him out of bed with her. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him deeply. "Let's go save our city."


End file.
